Oh How The Good Die Young
by Green Eyes Wander
Summary: In 12 hours she will be dead or they will have failed. Green is not a Newbie; she is a test. If the Gladers can kill her in half a day WICKED will grant them their freedom. But there is more to the young girl than meets the eye and killing her is not going to be easy. What is Freedom worth to the Gladers of Glade A? Is Green's life even one she wants to live?
1. Subject A0

It was not yet night time. The was about to slip below the stone walls of her new habitat.. A warm purple light cascaded over the serene lands of the Glade. She was in a state of bewilderment as she gazed at her beautiful captivity. She'd yet to process what had happened to her. She'd noticed the walls just moments ago. But understanding her predicament wasn't her top priority at that moment; her life was.

Slowly the girl lowered herself from the scrawny tree. Each over her feet touch the ground tenderly before taking on her whole weight. Her barefeet didn't make a sound as she glided through the thin grass.

"This way!"

She winced at the calls, forzen in her tracks once again.

The orange glow of torches illuminated the east side of the forest that she was taking refuge in. With in seconds boots were pounding towards her, the light growing brighter and the wretched whoops and hollers growing louder.

"Come out she-bean!"

"We won't hurt you beautiful!"

The boys taunted her. They called for her like a man calling for its dog. But she would not give into them.

She forced herself to her feet. She'd thrown caution and stealth out the window; now she simply darted at full speed deeper into the woods. The girl would find a taller tree, a better one, she would climb up to where the light would not reach her and remain their till the boys had given up. She would be safe. She could save her life.

With a plan buzzing through her mind she kept up her run. Her arm wrapped around a thick trunk, forcing herself to come to a stop. Her eyes climbed up the oak tree quickly, assessing it potential in a matter of seconds.

 _Not tall enough,_ she thought to her self.

The watch on her wrist beeped once; 10 hours remaining.

"I think I see her!" A voice cried.

The intense beam of a flash light poured over her. She froze.

"We got her now!"

She was sprinting. Everything blurred around her. Her tunnel vision focused on nothing but the ground a few feet ahead of her. Maybe she'd make it out of the woods and find a place to hide in their so called "Glade". She was so close to freedom.

Suddenly, something slammed into her. She was pushed up against a rough tree. Her lips spread open to scream but a warm, thick hand clamped over her mouth. Her eyes widened.

"Shhhh. Slim it right now" Her assailant warned. She tried to speak to him, to tell him to screw off, to threaten his life and string together a list of all of the God-awful things she would do to him if he didn't get off her. But he held her gaze in his own, an expression of concern breaking through the cement look of blankness on his face.

"Shut your shuck mouth and follow me. I'm going to save you."

"""""""""""

TWO HOURS EARLIER

""""""""""

Alby stared at the box in utter disbelief. "What the shuck is happening?" He whispered to himself.

Around him the Gladers pushed and shoved their way to the front of the crowd. They leaned over one another as if the girl below them, the first one they'd ever seen, might vanish in an instant. Comments fluttered through the air like thick smoke clouds. A boy would say something vile and it would hang above the group as the others around him snickered.

Alby ignored them all.

There was a girl below them. She was awake, wide eyed... and barefoot. She stared at Alby and he stared back at her. She wasn't calm, but she wasn't crying or screaming. Her knees were tucked into her chest with her arms tightly wrapped around them.

"Go get her Newt." Alby ordered his comrade. The teen obeyed with out question. He jumped down to the floor of the box with a loud CLANG!

The girl winced as he landed.

"Hey, hey hey." Newt cooed, stepping towards her slowly, "Don't worry love, you're safe here. I promise."

She looked directly at him, her eyes piercing in to him.

His breath caught in his throat. It was like the entirely of the Glades fields and forests were trapped up in her magnificent hues. She brought a whole new meaning to the term "greenie".

"Who am I? Where am I?" The girl demanded, ignoring his comment.

"Do you know your name? They let you keep your name."

The girl shook her head.

"That's ok." Newt assured her, trying to mask his own surprise. "Just come with me Greenbean. We'll get you out of this box and explain everything."

The girl was hesitant to follow him but she complied eventually. She pushed herself up and stepped quickly towards the edge of her cage.

"Send down a vine." Alby called.

As a thick green rope lowered, Newt looked to the place on the ground where the girl had been sitting.

There was a small white rectangular piece of paper labeled "Subject A0, Instructions."

Around him Newt could hear the other boys gawk at the girl and Alby give the whole spiel about not asking questions, but the blonde ignored it all. He bent down and picked up the envelope gingerly.

"What's going on Newt?" Alby asked. The boy had been so entranced in the paper that he hadn't noticed the silence that had fallen over the crowd.

Newt straightened up. "There's a letter. From the Creators I think."

Alby raised a brow. "Bring it up here."

"Good that." The blonde nodded.

He shimmied his way up the vine and made his way to the leader. The crowd reshaped its self around Alby, Newt and the obviously terrified yet expressionless girl.

"Well go on, read the shuck thing already." Gally urged the second in command.

Newt shot the Keeper a glare and returned his attention to the paper.

"Please. What is going on?" The girl begged.

"Give us a second Greenie." Newt muttered before ripping open the envelope. "It's a letter... from the Creators."

"Read it!" Some one called.

Cries of agreement echoed through the crowd. Newt looked at Alby. The dark skinned teen shrugged, then nodded.

"Dear Gladers of Group A. This is Subject A0." Newt glanced at the girl. Her fists were clenched tightly to her sides, her curly hair was disheveled and she resembled a survivor of a car crash who could slip into shock at any moment. Newt looked back at the letter and continued "You have twelve hours to ..." He stopped. " _Alby."_

"C'mon Newt, just read it." Gally ordered.

Alby and the girl nodded as well.

Reluctantly Newt continued again, raising his voice, "you have twelve hours to take her life, starting from the moment she arrives." Newt ignored the gasps and outbursts. He carried on with pain in his voice. "If-if she survives till the morning she will go free and your trials will carry on. If you kill her before then, you all will not spend another night in the Glade. You will all be free men and compensated for the rest of you days. Freedom for her life. The watch on her wrist is counting down the time. Good Luck."

Newt stopped.

"Oh my God." Some one whispered. The rest were silent.

Were they considering it? Newt wondered in disbelief.

"You said I was safe." The girl whispered.

Newt looked at her, "Y-you are. Right Alby?"

Alby studied his shoes. Gally bore holes into the girl with his eyes.

Newt took a wary step in front of the girl. "Alby..."

"We should talk it over. We need to have a gathering right now."

"Nononono." The girl muttered. She began backing up.

"Nothing's been decided yet Greenie." Alby said in a soothing voice.

The girl looked up at the leader. "I don't know what the hell is going on, but if its between me and your freedom I'm not going to sit here and wait for you to decide." She turned on her heals and shoved the palm of her hands hard into the chest of the Newbie before her, Thomas. He stumbled backwards, giving her an opening to run towards the dead heads.

"Stop her!" Gally screamed as the blur of blonde hair took off.

"No!" Alby yelled. " It's easier to make a decision without her here. Where would she go anyway?"

"The Maze?" Gally suggested.

Alby frowned. "Jaque, Martin, Nico, and Graham, gaurd the Maze doors. Keepers, gathering in 2 minutes. Everyone else get to work. And some one find Minho."

The boys nodded. Gally muttered comments about idioticness and disappointment in leadership.

As everyone broke off into their different Newt chased after the leader, "Alby, you're not considering this, are you? This is murder! Murdering a girl! For what? For-"

"For freedom." Alby interrupted. "We've been searching the Maze for years Newt. There is no way out of this shuckhole."

"Bloody Hell Alby, does two years of looking make it ok to murder a terrified girl?!" Newt demanded.

"I don't know, Newt! I don't know. But I'm not going to be the shank that stands in the way of 40 boys and their freedom. _That's_ why I am considering this."

Newt shook his head, "This is madness." He muttered.

"Yah, well this jacked place just might've driven me to madness."

"""""""""""

AN: This is just a tester chapter. This is a casual story and potentially a one shot. Let me know if you're interested in more.


	2. I don't want a Never Ending Life

His heart pounded in his chest like a bass drum as he gripped his fingers around her mouth tightly. Minho glanced over his shoulder. The light illuminating from the flashlight panned back and forth as the hoard of boys searched for the girl. The hoard of his closest and only friends.

The girl made a muffled screaming sound.

"Shhh!" Minho hissed, shoving her harder against the tree. "Didn't you here me shank? I'm here to save you. Now slim it." He look at the girl, her eyes were wide, her cheeks were void of color and her body shook. She was terrified.

Minho rolled his eyes. Gently this time, he pulled her behind the tree and motioned for her to crouch down.

"I'm gunna let go of your mouth, just be shucking quiet, ok?"

The girl nodded.

"Ok." Minho said. Hesitantly he lifted his thick callused hand from the girl's pale lips. She kept them pressed together. "Good. Now you need to stay quiet and follow me... with out question. Can you do that?"

The girl nodded again.

He encircled his fingers around her upper arm. The Asian boy surveyed the horizon, watching as the lights moved and flickered. He needed to be careful and stealthy. Most of all, both of them needed to be fast.

"Can you run?" He asked the girl.

She gave a confused nod.

"Good. Get ready to run fast. On my signal." Minho's eyes narrowed. His blood pumped faster, he could feel him self preparing for flight.

 _Almost... almost..._

 _"_ Now!" He hissed. He shot up, pulling the girl behind him. Together their feet pounded against the forest floor. They twisted through tree and jumped over roots. The wind ripped through Minho's hair and bit at his face. The girl stumbled, but he continued pulling her behind him with out looking back. She cried out quietly. Still though, she kept up with the Runner. Together, the pair broke through the tree line and into the clearing of the Glade.

No one was around them, but it wouldn't be long before they were spotted. They needed to find cover, quickly. The closest building was the kitchen. It had one window and one entrance. It'd have to be their refuge for now.

"Over here." Minho called. He swerved towards the building and picked up his pace.

He barged through the doors and then whipped around, holding it open for the girl and closing it quickly as soon as she got in.

"Hold it closed." He ordered without a hint of compassion.

The girl obeyed. She pressed her body weight against the wooden door. Minho began rummaging around the kitchen. The adrenaline course through his veins. They were safe, momentarily, but it wouldn't be long before some one decided to check in the kitchen, or even came in for some water.

"What are you doing?" She asked. The boy was almost shocked at the sound of her first words to him.

He ignored her.

"This'll have to do." He muttered to himself, grabbing the crowbar that Fry used to force the crates of fruits and dry goods open.

He walked back over to the girl and shoved her aside with out a word. He cocked backed his arms and rammed the black metal bar into the crack between the floor and the door. Hopefully that would prohibit some one from coming in. It also kept _them_ from going out.

"Please. Tell me what's going on." The girl begged as Minho stood up.

Once again he ignored her. What could he say? No piece of information would help her at that moment. Plus, Minho didn't really want to talk to the girl. In the sickest of way he resented her. Her arrival split him from his friends, his friends from each other, and himself from his own self respect.

Instead Minho went into the actual kitchen part of the dining hall. He grabbed a couple of Frypan's knives and shoved them in his running pack. He'd never gotten the chance to take it off.

His mind was racing. He needed a plan of some sorts. Maybe they coul-

"What. is. going. on." The girl said. She was standing at full height, her feet slightly spread apart, her fists balled, and her eyes full of anger. The girl had gained a fair bit of confidence. Her curly blonde hair was push back, no longer covering her face. Her jaw was clenched tightly. "Tell me right fucking now."

Minho smirked. "Oh that's cute."

"No." She shook her head, "No, I'm not kidding. I am so fucking done with guys and secrets and being confused. Who are you? Where am I? and what. is. going. on?"

He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms across his chest. He nodded slightly at her, "Ok blondie, if you insist I'll let you know. I'm Minho, Keeper of the Runners." She raised a thick, dark brow. "Yah I'm not explaining that. Just know I'm good at running. You're in the Glade. Two years ago the first of us came up here. Each of us like you. No memories, no idea where we were, just a name in our head. Some one put us up here and now they put you up here too. Happy?"

"That answers who you are and where I am, but what's happening?"

"Oh, yah. Everyone is trying to kill you."

She was oddly unfased, "And why aren't you."

Minho studied his shoes, he let out a heavy hearted sigh. "Well..."

"""""""""""""

Earlier

""""""""""""

"Quiet down shanks! This Gathering is being called to order!" Alby cried over the group of teenaged boys.

A dozen of them sat in various places in the Gathering hut, but each of them ended their chatter as the leader took charge. Alby had their full attention.

"This isn't a normal gathering with majority rule. Our decision about the fate of the girl needs to be unanimous. Each Keeper will get a chance to share their opinion and then everyone will vote. If we can't all agree on following WICKED's instructions, then she stays alive. Understand?" He made sure to meet the eyes of each boy in the room. He made it through almost all of them when he stopped. "Where's Minho?"

"Ben just went to get him. The bloody shank is taking his sweet ol' time mapping today." Newt muttered. Alby glance at his second in command. He'd been on edge since the girl came.

"Well we're starting without him, good that?"

Newt nodded. His eyes flicked to the door.

"Alright then, let's start with Gally."

The Keeper of the Builders stood up sporting with the same smug look he wore every day. He waited for a good 5 seconds before speaking, making sure that each and everyone's full attention was on him. "I think we should kill the she-bean. We've been in this shuckhole for 2 damn years. We search the Maze everyday and we've got nothin'. I think we need to consider that this _is_ the way out. Is this one girl worth years of captivity for the rest of us? The Creators are giving us an out. We need to take it."

Alby was shocked at the swiftness and simplicity of the boy's response. It wasn't common for the Keeper of the Builders to be so brief.

"Clint?"

Clint studied his cleanly cut nails. He opened his mouth to speak, and then closed it again. "I want to say no. I want to say that we should keep her alive... but I don't think we can pass up this opportunity." He looked up, staring directly at Newt and Alby, his slightly wetted eyes flicking between the pair. His voice was desperate for them to understand. "I-i hope it's a respectful death, and I wish it didn't have to be this way. But we can't live here any longer. We've got families, and real homes. And places to go other than this... this hell. So, I'm with Gally."

Alby nodded slowly.

"I agree with Clint. Let's just keep it clean." Winston said quietly. He refused to meet the eyes of anyone else in the room.

Attention turned to Frypan. "I-i don't know. I want to-"

"What the shuck is going on?" Minho stood in the door frame of the Gathering Hut.

"We're having a Gathering," Alby started, "Ben was sup-"

"Yah I get that. I mean, why the shuck are you slintheads even considering this? Murdering a innocent, weak, helpless little girl. Jeez she's probably shorter than Chuck!"

"Minho sit down," Gally order, "Listen to our side. This is about freedom."

"No, this is about not being their little pawns! If we do this then we aren't free, we are doing exactly what those jacked shanks want us to do! The'yre calling the shots and by obeying their twisted rules we're proving that they can control us."

"This is not a game Minho! This is a chance to leave this place!" Gally yelled.

Minho shook his head. "I can't be here. I can't be one of your Keepers." He muttered. Quickly, with out another word, he turned and ran the opposite direction. Rage filled him. Anger drove him. He ran from the building, from his friends and from everything he'd come to know and care about.

""""""""""

PRESENT

""""""""""

"So I left. And I didn't look back or ask them what they decided. And I guess they decided to go through with it." His voice trialed off. "I just can't believe it. Newt, Fry, Alby. They're good people. This place just jacked them up I guess." Minho explained.

The girl was taken aback by the story and the evident hurt on Minho's face. "I'm sorry. But thank you, really, for helping me and all that."

Minho snapped back to his previous state. "Yah, I figured you probably couldn't handle yourself in a place like this."

The girl opened her mouth. Her blood boiled at the obvious sexism, but it was not the time to make an enemy. "Yah. Thanks."

"So, you got a name?" Minho glanced up at her.

The girl shook her head, "No. But I did find this." She walked over to Minho, rolling up her sleeve as she moved. "It's not a name but... I don't know. It feels important." On the middle inside of her right wrist, covered by the watch that was counting down the time to her freedom, was a small, thin, black tattoo. In cursive one word was written.

 _Green_

"Green? Like the color...?" Minho chuckled.

The girl shrugged, "It's something. A place holder till I figure out the real thing."

"Ok then, Green, it's nice to meet you." Minho smirked.

Green rolled her eyes. "Ok. It's a ridiculous name. Got anything better?"

"No, no, I like it. It goes with your eyes."

"Great. A name that matches my eyes. That's just perfect." She flopped against a table. "What is happening to my life!" She cried to the ceiling, throwing up her arms.

Minho almost laughed. But he kept it together. "Cut it out. We need to stay quiet."

On cue, a body slammed into the door. The wood lurched forward but splintered on the crowbar, remaining closed. Green covered her mouth with her hand.

"Holy shit." she whispered.

"C'mon." Minho hissed, grabbing her arm. The door lurched forward again, then another time.

"Come out little Miss. Don't make it harder than this has to be."

Minho recognized Gally's voice.

"Go to the back, there is a window out of the storage closest." Minho ordered. He handed her a knife. "I'll be right behind you."

Minho gripped a knife in his own hand. His eyes steadied on the door. He force oxygen in and out of his lungs.

 _It's time to man up._

He shot forward and dragged a table in front of the door, propping the crowbar up on the base of the wood, making it even harder to move. Satisfied with his work Minho spun on his heels and darted towards the supply closest where he sent Green.

He was half way out the Window when he saw them.

Thomas, the Newbie before Green, had his hand wrapped around the girl's mouth and the other pinning her body to his.

Green cried for Minho, her eyes filled with fear. She struggled against the boy.

"Get the shuck off her." Minho ordered quietly, prowling forward, gripping the knife.

"Woah, chill. I'm on your side." The boy insisted. He let go of Green. "I just didn't want her to scream."

"What the-" Green began as soon as she was free.

Minho quickly stepped between her and Thomas, "shhhh." He warned her. He looked at Thomas, "Why are you helping us Greenbean?"

"Thomas." He corrected, "and because... well same reason you're helping her. They can't just kill her."

"Green, by the way." Green said, stepping forward.

"Hey that's a cool name." Thomas said with a genuine smile.

"Cut it out shanks, you got a plan Thomas?"

The blue eyed boy nodded, "This might sound crazy but... look around." He gestured to the world around him.

Minho raised an eyebrow. "Not following."

"The doors to the Maze never closed."

""""""""""

AN: Thanks to those who reviewed. I decided to post another chapter. Let me know what you think! Reviews are always appreciated! Oh and how do you all feel about the name Green, I've got an attachment to it.


	3. I Just Want to Feel Alive

"The Maze? Are you jacked?" Minho hissed to Thomas after pulling both him and Green behind the kitchen and out of sight.

"Where else could we go that we wouldn't be found?" Thomas demanded. "They'll never look there, and if they do they won't be able to find us."

"Of course they won't be able to find us, we'll be shucking dead!" Minho nearly yelled.

"Shhh." Green warned.

"No. We're not going in there. We'll hide in Newt's room in the homestead. If he comes in there we can reason with him. " Minho stated.

"And if Gally comes in? Or one of his cronies? Can we reason with them?" Thomas pressed.

"Enough Thomas, we're not going into the Maze."

"Minho..." Green trailed, she stared at the Runner. Her eyes pleaded to his. "This might be mu only chance to live." She shook her head, sending coils of gold in different directions, "I've been conscious for only 3 hours. I don't want to die. And if I'm going to die-for whatever reason-in this maze, then at least I will die fighting."

"Green you don't understand whats out there." Minho said angrily.

"I don't understand whats in here either. I don't understand why these boys are so willing to end my life. But I'm not going to let them take me easily. I can't ask you to come with me, but I'm going."

"I'm coming with you Green." Thomas said.

"I'm not. Green, every shuck thing out there could kill you."

"Good. Let them try." She said with a smile.

"Fine, your funeral shanks." Minho grumbled.

"They'll never know you were helping me. Go back to the Deadheads. Act like you were taking a nap." Green insisted.

"You're are one jacked chick Green." Minho said, shaking his head. The girl confused him and astounded him. But he wasn't willing to die for her.

The girl shrugged, "I've got a color for a name. I don't think there is a piece of me that's sane."

"I checked every where, she's not in here." Some one called from inside the kitchen. They were closer than the group had excepted.

" _C'mon."_ Thomas whispered. He clutched Green's upper arm and pulled her towards the north door of the Glade. The girl glance back at Minho. She flashed a small smile in his direction before joining Thomas completely with a running pace. They stayed low as the pair made their way to the door.

"Shucking idiots." Minho muttered to himself. They'd die out there for sure, and Minho wasn't going to be there to help them.

""""""""""""

Green and Thomas slowed as they reached the door. They'd kept close to the wall, hiding in the shadows. When they were only a few yards from the exit Thomas motioned for Green to stop.

"There's a guard." Thomas whispered.

"Shit. What do we do?" Green asked. Her hand snaked its way to the waistband of her skinny jeans where she stashed a knife from the kitchen.

"I'll talk to him. He doesn't know I'm on your side. Stay here."

Green nodded.

Thomas rose to full height. He straightened out his shirt and took a deep breath. His heart was beating twice as fast as normal. His eyes fluttered to objects around him as he walked towards Graham. His stomach turned into a tight knot.

The truth was Thomas had felt like an outsider from the moment he arrived in the Glade a week ago. He didn't accept his fate like the others had. He was curious and confused and mad. As he moved from job to job, keeper to keeper, Thomas felt more and more isolated from the boys around him. He saw the girl as an opportunity not only to leave the Gladers, but to maybe even find an answer to the sinking feeling that he never really belonged in the Glade.

"Hey Graham, Gally wants you. He told me to watch the door." Thomas lied as he approached the tall, dark haired boy with a scar of most of the left side of his face. As best as Thomas knew, it was a result from an "on the job" accident. Graham was a Slicer.

Graham crossed his arms. "Gally told me not to move. He told me to stay here all night."

Thomas shrugged. "He changed his mind."

The large teen narrowed his golden brown eyes, "What the shuck are you trying to do Newbie?"

"Thomas." He corrected, "And nothing. I'm just telling you what Gally told me."

"If Gally wants me, he'll come himself."

"Graham this is impor-"

Before Thomas could finish his sentence, some one shoved him to the ground. A figure darted past him and rammed Graham into the wall.

It was Green. She'd gotten the jump on Graham and managed to smash his head into the hard stone. She muffled his screams of pain with her free hand and used the other to yank on his hair. But a head start wasn't enough to overtake the massive teen. He regained his composure and threw his foot forward. He caught the girl in the ribs hard and sent her flying backwards.

"Oh I'm going to kill you She-bean." Graham spat with a crooked smile.

Green spun to her feet and clutched the knife in her hand.

Graham charged at her. She ducked under his first punch and jabbed at his gut. He grabbed her hand and twisted it away from him. With all of his force and a running start, Graham flung Green against the wall by her arm. Her back slammed against it and she slid to the ground.

A moan escaped her lips.

"You really thought you could take me?" Graham demanded.

Thomas had to hand it to her. She'd given a good fight, better than anyone could've expected from a girl her size.

Green lay, sprawled across the grass, blood pouring from her nose.

"Fuck you." She spat with venom and blood on her tongue.

Thomas snapped from his daze as Graham cocked his fist.

"Hey!" He yelled. He lunged at Graham and shoved him away from the girl. Thomas elbowed Graham in the nose. Suddenly Green was on her feet. She stubbed her toe into the Slicer's side. Thomas pulled him to his feet and pushed him hard in to the wall. Graham stumbled, swayed and then crumpled to the ground.

"Run." Thomas ordered.

Green snatched up her knife and darted into the Maze. Thomas stared at the boy, trying to stand up.

"Sorry Graham." Thomas said before shoving his foot into the boy's face.

""""""""""""

Minho was furious. He grumbled to himself as he jogged through the Glade and towards the Deadheads. How had it gotten to this? How had Alby and Newt allowed this? And why did Green and Thomas think it was ok to go into the Maze? Didn't they understand how dangerous it was?

"Shucking morons. See how they like it when they're dead." Minho muttered under his breath.

As he stormed past the Gathering hut a small voice caught his attention.

"Min? Is that you?"

Minho immediately recognized the accent. "Newt?" He turned around and sprinted into the hut. His excitement faltered as he entered the room. The Glade's two leaders were bond to chairs. Alby was motionless with blood pouring from a gash on his head. Newt was awake but definitely weakened by an attack.

"Newt what the shuck?" Minho demanded running over to his friends.

"Alby and I just couldn't agree to killing the girl. So Gally rallied everyone against us. They tied me up and then knocked Alby unconscious. You got to help her Minho." Newt pleaded.

"Shh. I'll cut you two free."

"No. Minho, if they see that we're free they'll know you're here and your helping her. You need to go find her now. Besides we can't help either way. We're too weak."

"I'm not leaving you here." Minho said.

"You bloody have to if you want the girl to live."

"She's with Thomas right now."

"Tommy? He's with us too?" Newt asked.

Minho nodded.

"Where are they?" Newt asked.

"The Maze."

"Minho! Bloody hell, they'll be dead in an hour! They need you."

"Newt I told them not to go. They went anyway."

"So go help them. They are going to die with out you."

Minho shook his head. "I refuse to die or let anyone I care about die for this shuck girl."

"You're better than that Minho." The Runner studied his shoes. His eyes refused to meet those of his closest friend. "You could save them both."

""""""""""""""

"So what's the buzz about the Maze?" Green asked, rubbing her bear feet. She'd yet to find a pair of shoes, and her dogs were barking big time.

In her mind, she masked the fear that had consumed her with easy to reach goals and positive internal reinforcement. She refused to address her issues aloud. Discussing the current situation was the last thing she wanted to do.

"I'm not sure exactly. But I do know there are things out here... creatures that everyone is scared of. They say the walls of the Glade protect the Gladers from these-these Grievers. They're deadly monsters who roam the halls of the Maze."

Her heart rate spiked. _Deadly Monsters?_

 _Breath Green, just breathe._

"Ok. Not a big deal. So we just avoid them for..." She glanced at her watch, "9 hours. We can do that, right?"

Thomas shrugged.

"What should we do first?" Green asked.

Thomas bit his lip, he looked at her with warry eyes, "Green, I have no idea. I've never been here before."

The girl raised a dark brow, "So we're both entirely clueless?"

He answered with a quick nod.

"Fuck." She pushed her hands through her hair. Her fingers caught a thick knot. She yanked at it in frustration then gave up and sunk to the ground.

"Don't worry. We can stay here. We're just out of sight from the doors but close enough so we won't get lost." Thomas assured her.

"And if a Griever comes?" She demanded.

"Then we run." He responded simply, as if it were that easy.

"Ok. What do we do till then?" Green asked.

"Why don't you try to sleep? I'll let you know if anything changes."

She wanted to refuse him, but her eyes felt heavy and her feet screamed in pain. A few minutes of shut eye wouldn't hurt. Green looked at Thomas."Thanks... for everything Thomas.."

"Don't worry about it." Thomas said with a smile.

Green took off the over sized black hoodie she'd arrived in an balled it up under her head. She lay flat on her back, staring at the sky.

There wasn't a single star in the vast, black void above the Glade. Her heart ached for the twinkling lights as she drifted off.

""""""""

 _"He's just lying there for everyone to see him rot!" The girl screamed at some one standing in front of her. She was young, blonde haired, and pale skinned with freckles dusting both cheeks. She was wearing a uniform, all black, with the name Richards embroidered over her heart in grey thread. She carried several weapons as well as a helmet under one arm. Her curly hair was tied back into a pony tail and a mixture of blood and dirt was smeared onto her face._

 _"Enough. I won't listen to the whines of some guard. Go back to your post or forget about your job." A man spat._

 _"A.D. Janson, please. Just send me his body." The girl pleaded to the salt and pepper haired man._

 _"I won't hear any more of it Richards. Leave my office at once or else I'll call Jones and Chapman in here to throw you out. And if I have to do that, they'll be throwing you out of the building, out of a job, and out of my protection. Understand?"_

 _She opened her mouth the speak, to yell at him and tell him that he was an awful person. Rage built up inside her. With every bone in her body she yearned to hurt the man. But something made her close her mouth and look down at the ground. The girl gave a reluctant nod before marching out of the office. As soon as the metal door slid shut behind her she took off running. She didn't stop until she reached some place; an empty area in what looked like a warehouse. She threw her gear to the ground and slid down the wall so that her knees were pressed into her chest._

 _The girl fished something out of the pocket on her chest. A piece of paper, folded two ways. Tears slipped out of her green eyes as she unraveled it._

 _"I'm so sorry." She whispered to the people in the photo. Two young girl and two young boys, hanging on each other with large smiles on their faces. Each had a mane of blonde hair and eyes the size of saucers, filled with happiness._

 _The girl began sobbing into her hands, her shoulders heaving and her breaths increasing._

 _"I'm so so sorry you guys." She repeated over and over again._

 _"""""""""_

 _"_ Green! Hey, wake up!"

The girl jolted to consciousness. "Wha-what's going on?" She scrambled forward, clutching the knife in her hand and wielding it out in front of her.

"Woah woah! Nothing! Chill. You were breathing really heavily and squirming. I thought I should wake you up." Thomas defended himself, holding his arms in front of him.

It was still dark, but Green could just barely make out the boy across from her.

"It was just a dream. Not a big deal." She insisted, turning away from him.

"That is a big deal. I've asked the others before. No one else has dreams execpt for me. And... well I guess you now too."

"What?" Green asked.

"The creators, when they took our memories they took our dreams too. I think, and I'm really just guessing, but people who dream are really getting memories back. For some reason we get little snippets of our old lives."

"Why us?"

"I don't know. What was your about."

Green shook her head, "Nothing important." She lied. "Nameless faces, faceless names. That kind of thing. How long was I out?"

"I dunno, you have the watch."

She glanced at the time. 7 hours remaining.

"Two hours huh? That's not too bad. You want to get some sleep now?" Green asked.

"Yah. Wake me up in an hour."

The boy rolled onto his side, facing away from her and quickly fell into steady breaths. Green put on her hoodie, pulled her knees into her chest and thought about her dream.

If they were memories, then she was the girl. The man called her a guard. And she had lost some one or some _ones_ who were important to her.

Her heart ached for the unknown people she'd probably never see again.

A sound echoed in the distance from with in the Maze. A mechanical noise.

Green sat up straighter. She grabbed for her knife again.

It was a whirring noise, something that came from metallic moving parts. Something that was picking up speed.

"Thomas!" Green hissed, lightly kicking her companion.

"What's wrong?" He asked, sitting up quickly.

"There's something out there."

It didn't take long for Thomas to hear it as well.

"Get up. We need to go." Thomas ordered.

Green stood up hesitantly, knife loosely in hand and eyes locked on the sight directly in front of her.

150 feet in front of her or so, was a blobish animal. It had metal legs like a spider and the body of something she'd never seen before. It was a blueish grey color with spikes down its appendages and a gaping hole that served as a toothy mouth.

"Green. Green!" Thomas screamed. "Snap out of it!" He yanked her backwards and forced her into action.

"What is that?" She cried.

Thomas didn't respond. He darted down a corridor and took the first right. Green tried to keep up as they weaved through the Maze.

"Thomas slow down! We're going to get lost!" She heaved.

But the boy didn't stop. He kept going as fast as he could. Left. Right. Right again. Straight. Another left. They slipped further and further into the unknown lands of the Maze.

Finally, Thomas slowed to a halt. The incessant sound of feet pounding against stone ended.

Green stopped as soon as he came into her line of sight.

"What... the hell... was that?" She panted.

"A Griever I think." Thomas sputtered.

"Did we lose it?" Green asked, standing up straight.

"I think so. I can't hear it any more."

"That was horrifying. How many are there?"

"No idea."

Green studied the hall in front of her. "We need to make some sort of plan. We can't just run from those things for the next 6 and a half hours."

Thomas nodded in agreement, "Any ideas."

Her eyes travelled to the large walls. They were covered in long vines from top to bottom. "What if we climbed them?" Green said to herself.

"What?"

"Yah, yah that could work." A new excitement burst through her. "Thomas what if we climbed up these walls? We could get to the top and stay there quietly until the time ran out."

"How are we going to climb them?" Thomas demanded.

Green ran to the wall, "We can tie one of these vines around our waist and use another as a rope. We'll make it up in no time! Then we can scale down as soon as the sun rises."

"What if we fall?"

"We won't." She insisted. "Besides, what choice do we have?"

A sound echoed through the corridor, louder this time, faster this time. It came from either direction, both the left and the right.

Thomas looked at Green, clutching a vine tightly in her hands.

"Hurry." He ordered, making his way over to the wall. "Tie yourself in tightly, and be careful."

"And be fast." Green added.

As soon as they were both secured by a rope, the pair began pulling them selves up the 30 foot high wall as the sounds of Grievers scrambling for their next victim resonated through the corridors.

"""""""

Thanks to those who reviewed! I'm really getting into this story! Let me know what you think. criticism is welcome, just keep it constructive please! Oh and of course everything except the story line and Green belong to James Dashner!


	4. While I'm Here

As they approached the top of the wall — about 10 feet or so from their destination — it became harder and harder for Thomas to breathe. It wasn't the air or a lack of stamina, or even an entirely rational fear of heights. It was the exhaustion. The sleep crusting in his eyes, the weight that pulled down on his eye lids and begged for his body to quit. It was the aching in his raw fingers and the way his feet groaned every time he pressed his soles into the concrete wall. It was the voice deep with in his brain space telling him to just quit.

The whine of the Grievers was a constant reminder to him that he was anywhere but safe. They'd yet to venture into the same corridor as Thomas and Green, but it wouldn't be long till the incessant click and whir found its way to them.

Reluctantly Thomas glanced over to Green. Her halo of blonde hair was knotted loosely behind her head. She'd taken off her black hoodie and tied it around her waist along with the safety rope of ivy, revealing her maroon colored t-shirt and dark wash skinny jeans. Undoubtedly the small girl was just as worn out as Thomas was, but she'd yet to quit . She was a few feet a head of him, her eyes locked on the top, one hand moving over the other. With each step she took against the wall with her bare feet she launched her self closer to the top.

She sensed him watching her. "You ok?" She asked, looking over to him.

"Just hungry." Thomas replied.

Green forced a smile, "Thanks for sticking with me." She was genuine, Thomas could tell by the sound of her voice.

"Don't mention it." Thomas said.

 _Great, now I have to keep going,_ he told himself, _now I'm emotionally invested._ Though he'd been emotionally invested from the time he figured out the new Greenie was an outsider just like him.

They had a fairly simple method to climbing the wall. At the start both teens had tied a vine securely around their waists. Through grasping and yanking on the thick "ropes" and sticking their feet into various cracks and crevasses found in the wall they managed to scale it quicker than Thomas expected. A third of the way into their climb they retied the safety rope so that if they fell they wouldn't splatter themselves against the ground.

They had about 15 feet left when the noise grew unmistakably louder.

"Green, quit climbing." Thomas ordered in a low hiss.

The Grievers were heading their way, Thomas was sure of it.

The noises had been echoing through the halls all night, but now a dim light began growing to their left. Thomas recognized it from the morning Newt had showed him a glimpse of a Griever in the window of the Glade. The sounds of metal screeching against metal turned the corner. The boy couldn't help but cringe as he got his second good look at the beasts that inhabited the Maze.

The beast was an experiment gone wrong, something made in the lab that turned into a horrific, grotesque shell of a living thing. The way the Griever walked, stumbling on it's disproportional legs in a zig zag fashion, made it seem like every step caused it immense pain, like death would be the easier way out. It's appendages all seemed to be different, like some scientist just stuck it's hand into a junk drawer of legs and pulled out the 6 or 7 that stuck out of the Griever with a shrug and a "that'll have to do". From two, needles poked out like the feelers of an ant. On another two there were blinking lights that seemed to serve little to no purpose. One was incredibly short and didn't touch the ground. It cried as it walked. Thomas almost felt pity for the deathly monster. He couldn't help but stare at it.

In the corner of his eyes Thomas saw something move. His attention snapped to Green. The girl was carefully continuing to climb the wall. She glanced at him.

 _C'mon,_ she mouthed to him, flicking her eyes upwards.

Thomas furrowed his brow and shook his head violently. _Stop,_ he ordered.

She ignored him.

The Griever scuttled forward. Its beady, small eyes didn't land on the duo, but it didn't move along. It sensed them there... somewhere.

Thomas looked to Green again. Rage boiled within him. He understood that fear drove her, but how could she be arrogant as to not see that her actions could get them both killed. One wrong move and...

" _Green, cut it out."_ Thomas snapped at the girl who had continued to move upwards.

"We need to keep going." She said quietly, she didn't look at him or try to reason with him. It was like she was stuck in some sort of trance; her body was driven by the goal to reach the top.

"What? No. If it hears us..." Thomas trailed not wanting to think of what could happen. she ignored him. Slower than before, Green placed one hand above the other, yanked on the ivy, and pulled herself towards the top of the wall.

" _Green, stop."_ Thomas pleaded quietly.

Her bare feet gripped the wall tightly, finding a small crevasse for her big toe to push off of. She placed as much weight as possible on that foot and straighten her leg. Green reached up, her slender form stretching for the next solid grasp of rope, when her foot slipped ever so slightly. Her toe shifted to the right as her ankle rolled two degrees. She caught her balance quickly, recovering with out a noise.

But she'd loosened one single piece of stone from the wall. Thomas watched it fall; his heart dropped with the fragment of concrete. The minuscule crashing sound it made was the loudest thing he'd ever heard. He flinched as it clattered to the ground.

Green stopped.

Her head snapped towards his.

She recognized her mistake immediately.

How could she be so reckless? So blind?

The Griever sprang to attention. It positioned it's body in the way of the noise and scuttled forwards, breaking into a full speed crawl.

"It can't climb the wall can it?" Green asked, her face drenched in terror.

Thomas didn't need to answer. Like a daddy long leg spider the Griever took to the slab of concrete, it's metal appendages navigated through the ivy and stone with ease. The beast was seconds away.

Green didn't hesitate to act. She let go of her ivy, dropping the initial 10 feet until her safety rope caught her. She didn't so much as let out a scream. She simply fell.

Her eyes flicked upwards. "C'mon!" She cried to Thomas as if he was supposed to just let go with out a second thought.

But that's exactly what he was supposed to do if he wanted to live.

Thomas swallowed hard. With a surge of faith and a silent prayer to no one, he released his aching fingers from the thick vine and let himself fall.

His heart stopped, his eyes squeezed shut.

He fell for minutes: that is what it felt like.

But the ivy tied around his waste caught him. He was suddenly suspended 8 feet off the ground by a plant. He looked to Green who was frantically wresting with the knot around her hips. His eyes fluttered to the Griever. They were seconds away from being it's next midnight snack.

Green continued to struggled with her knot. Her fingers were numb and raw from climbing. But they didn't have time to sit and struggle. They had seconds at most.

"Your knife! Cut yourself loose!" Thomas ordered.

Understanding lit up through the girl's forest eyes. Her hands moved to the waistband of her jeans. They were clammy and unsteady; it took her 2 tries to pull the blade from her belt. Gripping the ivy with one hand she slashed the knife through the loop around her hips, breaking the vine and setting her free. She slid down it quickly, crying out as the friction burned her hand.

Thomas turned to the knot around his own hips. It too had grown impossibly tight from his weight. He pulled at it desperately, glancing up at the oncoming beast.

"I can't get it!" He yelled in frustration, forcefully attempting to rip it. "I'm stuck!"

He turned to Green who was now on her feet on the ground.

Before he knew what was happening, the girl took a calm step backwards, cocked her hand behind her head and released, sending the thick kitchen knife sailing towards Thomas's head.

 _THUNK!_

It buried its self in a lonely vine just inches from his nose.

"Holy..." Thomas trailed

"C'mon!" She cried.

Shocked, but determined to survive, Thomas pushed the girl's surprising abilities from his head and snatched the knife out of the ivy. He sloppily slashed through his restraints, grabbing the vine above his head just in time to stop himself from breaking a bone. He squeezed the vine tightly as he fell trying to slow himself, but the force only caused him pain. His reflexes told him to let go of the vine and after a moment more of burning his hand with the friction,he obeyed his body. Thomas let go a few feet higher than Green had, slamming against the ground with a loud _thunk_ and an even louder groan of pain.

In the corner of his eye, Thomas could see another Griever emerge from the other side. This one was faster than the other, it moved in a more concise line with less limping and metallic crying.

"Get up!" Green cried to him. She snatched the knife from his hand and stashed it back in her jeans, then she grabbed him under the armpits and yanked him to his feet.

"How did you-" he started as he stumbled.

"No idea." Green cut him off. "What now?" Her words were precise and driven. She wanted to live.

The Griever on the wall passed over the spot the pair had been just seconds before. The other beast to the right of them was charging down the hall.

Thomas was in a daze. His body was stiff from pain and exhaustion, his limbs felt heavy and his bones felt weak. His feet dragged behind him.

"Thomas run!" Green begged, pulling him along behind her. He wanted to comply to her demands, but everything was weighing him down. More then anything his body cried for sleep.

But then everything changed.

"Over here you shanks!" A voice echoed to the left of the duo.

Green and Thomas swiveled their heads to the left.

Everything melted away from Thomas. Instantly his body lightened by 20 pounds.

A figure appeared at the end of the hall, poorly lit by the radiating light of the Grievers. Sure enough it was Minho in the flesh and blood.

"MINHO!" They cried in unison.

A new hope sparked in Thomas. He forced himself to pick up the pace, surpassing Green on his way to Minho.

"Minho what are you doing?" Thomas cried, shocked to see the grumpy, unhelpful and slightly selfish Runner in the Maze.

"Saving your sorry butts." Minho responed, "Now follow me if you don't want to bite it."

With out a moment to think Thomas dove into step behind Minho, not even glancing behind him to check for Green. He could hear her heaving breaths and the pitter patter of her bare feet against the stone.

Thomas didn't wait for another invitation. He grabbed Green's free hand and pulled her behind him. He poured all of his speed into his legs and all his strength into his arms as he forced the girl to keep up with him. Minho didn't say another word when they reached him. He simply turned on his heels and began running. Thomas didn't question him, he didn't ask for an explanation as to why he was back or where they were going, he just followed the Runner. With Minho there Thomas felt like they might actually have a chance to make it back to the Glade. A weight had been lifted off his chest. Though they were running faster than he thought he could ever go, Thomas had never been able to breathe so easily.

The trio ran together through the corridors taking turn after turn. At first Minho seemed to know exactly what he was doing, where he was going; he never stopped to pause.

Minho veered to the left and turned sharply. Thomas followed, whipping Green behind girl was lagging. She wasn't nearly as fast as the two boys, but Thomas refused to let her fall behind.

They took another left then a right.

"Minho… where are… we going?" Green demanded between heavy breaths.

"Back to the Glade. Another right." The Keeper called back to her.

She was 5 steps behind them. Then 10. Thomas considered stopping for her, letting her catch them, but he could hear the Griever right on their heels. A second long pause and they might just be a tasty Griever snack.

They turned to the right and ran down the new corridor for a few seconds before Minho skidded to a halt.

"Shuck me!" He cried.

Thomas stopped behind him. Green nearly ran him into the ground.

"Why... are we... stopping?" She asked.

"The shucking Maze changed! This piece of klunk!" Minho screamed at the walls. He rammed his shoulder into the dead end that blocked them from moving forward.

"Ok let's just tur-"

 _Click click click. Whiiirrrr. Creak. Click. Whir._

 _"_ Fuck." Green breathed.

The trio turned slowly, cringing at the sight of the single, bulbous, creature that blocked them from the only exit.

Minho ran his hands through his hair.

"Can we climb out?" Thomas asked.

"Not enough time." Minho muttered.

The Griever made it's way towards them slowly, smugly, as if it knew they were dead already.

"No. We've got less than 6 hours left. We aren't dying yet." Green insisted.

"No Green. You have less than 6 hours left. We're going to be stuck in this klunk hole for the rest of our damn lives!" Minho screamed.

Green blinked. Thomas too was shocked by the sudden burst of emotions coming from the usually brass but closed off Runner.

"Minho you didn't have to..."

"Oh of course I did. I'm not some jacked shank who is going to kill a shucking girl. But now I'm going to die. And if I don't die then you get to waltz away and go back to doing what ever the hell you want while we rot in here!"

The Griever crawled closer.

She stared at her bare feet, the sole of them left small splotches of blood where ever she stepped.

"Minho..." Thomas warned.

"He's right. I'm sorry I brought you guys into this." Green said meekly, not looking up.

Minho rubbed his forehead. " Shuck. I'm just frustrated."

Green forced her self to meet his deep brown eyes, "I really am sorry." She admitted. With out another word she turned on her heals and ran straight towards the Griever.

Everything moved in slow motion.

Minho reached out to grab her, his hands just barely making contact with the sleeves of he black hoodie she wore. Thomas called for her, his eyes lighting up in shock. She ignored them both. Thomas watched her run with all her speed towards the Griever; her barefeet pounded against the stone. Thomas had no idea what she was doing, it was as if something had taken her over, possessed her body. She lifted her hand behind her head, angling her arm ever so slightly. She dug her left foot into the ground and skidded to a halt, using the momentum to release her arm. Her knife flew through the air; a stray beam of light glinted off of it as it sailed right into the Griever's metal joint.

At first, it seemed pointless. The girl didn't hit its fleshy center. She didn't even anger the beast. But as it tried to move forward. Its left leg was fixed in a bent position. The appendage could straighten and bend only enough for the Griever to stumble to the side slightly and trip over itself.

The Griever whirred in frustration, slamming its body over and over again into the wall.

Green turned to the boys, "Hurry!" she shouted.

This time they didn't hesitate. The boys blew past the girl and easily cleared the Griever's leg with a swift jump.

Thomas turned back to see the girl attempt to jump over the leg herself. She got a good running start but the beast shifted it's body as she made her way up to it. Her calf caught its self on the metal and she sprawled across the floor.

Thomas lunged forward. "Green!" He yelled. He grabbed her under the armpits as she had done for him and hoisted her to her feet.

With out another word or a glance back, he shoved her forward and together the trio took off, away from the monster.

"""""""""""""

They ran for 20 minutes without stopping. Minho began to recognize the new Maze pattern. It only took him a few wrong turns to realize where the right ones were. But when Thomas glanced over his shoulder he realized Green was a good 30 feet behind them.

"Hey Minho!" He called. Thomas slowed himself to a jog, then a walk.

Minho turned to respond, only to see that Thomas had stopped running at that Green needed to catch up.

"Hurry it up Blondie!" Minho yelled to the girl.

As she came into better view Thomas noticed that something was off. The girl's skin was paler than normal, the rose color of her cheeks was entirely gone, her mane of hair had been matted down by sweat and her eyes sunk into her skull.

"Green… you ok?" Thomas asked, stepping forward hesitantly.

The girl continued to walk forward with a slight limp.

"Something is wrong with me, Thomas." She whispered.

"Oh shuck." Minho cursed. He pushed passed Thomas and jogged over to Green, placing a hand on her shoulder and forcing her to stop walking. "Green what's wrong." Genuine worry covered his face.

Thomas crept closer.

Green wavered as she spoke. "My head… it feels… heavy."

"Green, did the Griever prick you?"

"No… no I'm fine. I just need to sit down." She assured him. The girl backed against the wall and slid down slowly.

Thomas looked at her suspiciously. Minho refused to take her bullshit.

He marched over to her and knelt in front of the girl. "Tell what's wrong shank. Right now."

"I'm fine Minho." She spat, "I just need a second to-Aaaaaargh!"

She collapsed against the wall, her body seizing, letting out a ear shattering cry.

"""""""""""""

AN: PLEASE REVIEW! I'm really getting into this story but I need some feedback! Thanks to everyone who did review and follow and favorite, you guys are awesome! Tell me what you think!


	5. I've Been Looking at the Stars Tonight

Minho was frozen in place. His eyes grew in terror as he watched something posses Green.

It was almost as if she was fighting against her own body. A horrid, gurgled scream bubbled in her throat and flew from her tongue once more. She squeezed her eyes shut, as if some one was shining a blinding light right at her, and pushed herself against the wall. Her arms tensed, her fist squeezed so tightly that thick blood began oozing from where her nails dug into her palms. She would shake violently, screaming and clenching her whole body, then relax with a desperate sob, open her eyes to search for some sort of relief and then the force would over take her again.

"Green!" Thomas cried running over to her.

The sudden movement from the dark haired boy snapped Minho out of his shock. "Slim it Green." He ordered uselessly. She was trapped with in herself, even when her eyes would open they were distant and frantic for help. He grabbed her shoulder and pulled her into his chest, forcing her arms close to her so she wouldn't flail around and hurt herself.

"Minho what's happening to her?" Thomas demanded grabbing her feet to keep her from kicking the wall with her bare toes. "Was she stung? Is it the changing?"

"I've never seen this before!" He barked with annoyance. "She's out of her shuck mind."

Green let out another gut wrenching cry but cut it short by tensing her jaw and grinding her teeth tightly. Then her body relaxed. Her breaths began to steady, each one brining in sweet relief. She looked up at Minho; her mouth opened to say something. Then her eyes widened and her breaths were no longer steady, they were shallow and soon no existent.

The girl's face began to turn a deep shade of purple. She kept trying to scream or ask for help but she couldn't bring in the oxygen she needed to form words.

"Breathe Green, just breathe!" Minho demanded.

Finally, she sucked in deep breaths like a swimmer who had finally come up for air. She panted heavily, looking around from Thomas to Minho. Sweat pooled on her forehead.

Minho's instincts took over. He wrapped one arm around her and with the other he forced her head into his chest. She cried into his shirt for a few moments. But suddenly Minho could feel her whole body lurch against him as if she was dry heaving. All he could do was hold her against him as her body fought of the demons. He was just hugging her, pressing her body into his.

It seemed pointless but after a few minutes Green stopped moving. She stopped crying.

"What happened?" Thomas asked releasing her motionless legs.

"No idea. Maybe she's prone to seizures… but that didn't seem like some shuck seizure. That was demonic." Minho pushed his face away from her to get a glance at the girl. She was unconscious… or sleeping, but definitely still alive. Her chest rose steadily but shallowly. Her breaths were a struggle for her body. "She's still alive." Minho commented, nonchalantly as if his heart wasn't beating 10 times faster. It didn't matter, Thomas had lost interest in him anyway. The boy's eyes were fixed on Green's calf. A small splotch of blood was evident on her dark wash skinny jeans. Carefully, Thomas pulled up the tight fabric covering her left leg.

"Holy shit." He gasped.

Minho peered over the girl's lifeless head to where Thomas was looking. Thomas's exasperated cruse word was an accurate description of the site in front of them.

Sure enough, a Griever had stung Green. The circular mark on her leg was the same one Minho had seen some many times before. But the rest was completely foreign to him. The viens around her leg were a dark color of green, purple and blue. They were thick, pulsing and elevated from her skin. With each weak beat of her heart the color would advance and retreat further into her body. The disfigured liquid flowed a few inches further into her body. It moved slowly and smoothly, as if it was taking her over one cell at a time.

Suddenly Green's whole body seized. Her eyes remained shut but she let out a low groan of pain as her legs and torso tensed, shook and then relaxed.

Minho held her tightly.

"Look…" Thomas told Minho, his eyes still stuck on the spectacle on her leg. "When she seizes the color shrinks backs."

Sure enough the veins on her legs had thinned and become much shorter. Minho watched as the color began to move again, and then another seizure stopped it in its tracks.

"Holy shuck. She's fighting it." Minho breathed. "She's trying to control it." A emesne feeling of pride washed over him. Some how that wisp of a shucking girl was taking on the Griever venom. Minho had never seen it done before.

"How? I-I thought the only cure was-"

"It is. She needs the Grief Serum." Minho said. A sense of urgency replaced the feeling of pride. "We need to get her back to the Glade. Now."

"But what about everyone who's looking for her."

"It's late, Wake Up isn't for a few more hours."

"Ok," Thomas said, standing up, "yah, that could work. Here I'll grab her feet."

Minho frowned, "We're not going to carry her like some sort of dead animal."

It was Thomas's turn to frown, "Can you carry her by yourself? Aren't we like… 20 minutes from the Glade?"

Minho scooped Green into his hands, "She's light," He said as he stood up, and he meant it to. The girl weighed no more then load of Frypan's kitchen supplies, and was much easier to hold in his arms. He carried her closed to his stomach, squeezing her body tightly every time she began to seize.

""""""""""""""

Thomas was right. It took them even longer then 20 minutes to reach the Glade. Thank the Creators they didn't run into a single Griever along the way, even with Green's muffled cries.

For a moment, Minho feared that maybe the doors had closed, that they'd be stuck, but he pushed it to the back of his mind. That was the least of their worries.

"Why'd you come back?" Thomas asked so suddenly, breaking the 20 minutes of silence, that Minho didn't even register it at first.

"What?"

"Why did you come back?" Thomas repeated more clear this time. "You know, come and find us after we went into the Maze."

Minho had almost completely forgot about his conversation with Newt in all the chaos. He looked at the ground as he spoke. "Just didn't want you shanks to die, that's it. You both are a pair of mouth breathing idiots but no point in lettin' you bite it this early on in your time at the Glade."

"You ran into the Maze because you were concerned? _For us?_ "

Minho's head snapped up, the Greenie was really pissing him off, "Newt changed my mind about you guys, got it? He's the reason I saved your sorry butts."

"Newts on our side?"

The Runner's eyes remained locked on the path ahead of them. The girl in his arms suddenly became much heavier then she'd been just moments before. "Mhm. Ably too." Minho said. "No stop asking so many damn question. Good that?"

Thomas nodded. "What ever you say," he surrendered with an eye roll.

"Here, carry her for a second, my arms are dying." Minho griped, dumping Green into Thomas's arms. It wasn't that though. He couldn't explain it, but all of a sudden he felt so much less interested in what they were doing. All of a sudden he wanted nothing more then to be in the Glade, resting in his hammock, planning out his route for the next morning. The girl changed all of that. Live or die she was going to rip the Gladers apart. No more nights with the guys watching Gally take on unsuspecting victims in the fighting Pit. No more breakfast with Fry where they have a few laughs over the way Zart shovled his food into his face. No more meetings with the other Runners where'd they'd shared stories about their days in the Maze, each trying to top the last person. Now they were fighting against each other, betraying their friends of two years for a girl.

The entrance to the Glade interrupted Minho's thoughts. Thankfully, they were still wide open, inviting them in. With a quick scan Minho saw no sign of movement through out the grassy fields just soft patter of the animals shuffling around in their pens.

"C'mon." He hissed to Thomas motioning him into the Glade. As quietly and as quickly as they could the pair made a beeline towards the Homestead. No one usually slept in there at night expect Newt on account of his leg problems, but he was still tied up.

On the top floor there was the Medjacks's room. They could get the Grief serum there. Of course the Changing was not a quiet process and usually took days, but they'd have to cross that bridge when they came to it.

As they opened the door to the Homestead Minho couldn't help but think that maybe they should just not give Green the serum. She only had five hours left till she was supposed to be rescued. They could take her to the Maze, hide her till her rescuers came and then send her off with a bottle of the serum.

No. Who knew what would happen if she went that long with out a serum. They needed to give her the shot now.

Minho grabbed the handle on the door leading them into the Homestead and yanked it open. Thomas winced at the loud creak but no one was going to wake up that early in the morning. He shoved Thomas in Green inside and let the door swing close behind them. They bounded up the stairs ignoring stealth. Urgency wracked Minho's brain. Urgency to get rid of her? Urgency to save her? Urgency to lie down in the Medic's bed?

With Thomas on his heels Minho burst into the Medjacks room only to be instantly greeted with a blade at his neck and the shaky hands of Jeff, his favorite Glade doctor.

""""""""""""""""""

 _Everything was pain._ It was gut-wrenching, jaw clenching, heart pounding, muscle throbbing, eye squeezing, brain splitting, head smashing, body thrashing pain. It was bright lights that never came into focus, loud noises that shattered her ears, it was intense heat and it was pain. It was everything.

It became her. It crept up through her leg, shocking her nerves and boiling her blood. It electrocuted her muscles. It fried her brain.

The world around her was a blur. Fire works would shoot through the darkness when forced her eyes shut and black spots would dance in her vision if she left them open. Her spine began to ache, then it began to tense and shake. Over and over again her body would be over come by agony. It felt as though she was dry heaving while be stuck with a million volts of electricity at the same time.

Her legs went numb.

And then there was a moment of relief.

Things came into focus; noises, shapes, people.

Minho was above her. He held her tightly to him. She wanted to thank him. Liberation swam over her.

He was radiating light. He was the stars. He was there to save her.

And then oh god how it hurt again! Her muscles contracted, her eyes squeezed shut. The very parts of her body that allowed her to breathe tensed up. Her rib cage was a correst 3 sizes to small.

She wanted to cry out for air, to scream for help. She couldn't feel or hear or see. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't… she couldn't _exist._

It went on for years. Life times passed. Her brain shut down but her body still worked.

Her diaphragm relaxed. she sucked in shallow breaths. However, the lack of oxygen weakened her. Slowly she slipped into unconsciousness.

Even in a state of blissfully unaware sleep the pain could consume her. It came in jolts. It came in seizes. But it was always around her.

The scene around her moved. Lights flashed, noises slurred, people blurred. She was in a new room. A new person.

A new kind of pain. Sharp, exact. On the surface of her skin.

And… and then it was sweet relief. She could feel again, breathe again. The world around her was life. It was a long breath in. It was control over her body and mind.

And then it was darkness.

Absolute and pure darkness.

""""""""""""""""

Every so often, in the place Jeff called home, a piece of chaos erupted. Something happened that toppled over the tower of Order that Alby, Nick and Newt had worked so hard to build over the years. It happened the first time when Nick died. That night, no one went back to their job. Alby didn't check up on anyone, dinner was late, and best of all, no one was paying attention to anyone. It was moments like these, ones that made Jeff really question his morale compass, that served the Medjack much better than you'd expect.

Of course Jeff mourned for Nick. Of course Jeff was conflicted about betraying Alby and supporting Gally. But when given the opportunity to sleep in the medical room, on the most comfortable bed in the whole Glade, no single piece of guilt could make him pass that up.

Jeff was 4 hours into one of the best sleeps of his life when he heard the door to the Homestead swing open with a loud creak. He groaned, rolling out of bed and flipping on as many of the battery powered lanters as he could reach.

Chances were it was another one of Tim's asthma attacks or some one stepped on one of the Builder's nails on their way to take a klunk. They'd be out in 5 minutes and Jeff would be to Dreamland. Sure, who ever it was would question why Jeff was in the Medic's room, but he'd make up some excuse about practicing his stitching because he couldn't sleep, or needed in a bandaid.

But when the footsteps up the stairs turned into desperate poundings against the floor, and the voices that should've been tired and quiet turned out to be harsh orders of Minho, Jeff had just enough time to snatch up the small knife that worked as a make shift scalpel. He turned and faced the door just as it burst open.

Jeff expected to see Thomas and Minho. Gally had told everyone that, while they hadn't admitted to be against the Glader, they definitely weren't on their side. But he didn't expect to see them both dirty, strung out and carrying the lifeless body of the Greenie girl. Jeff definitely didn't expect the body to suddenly burst to consciousness and begin contorting in Thomas's arms. Thomas instantly slapped his hand over her mouth muffling the most pained cry Jeff had ever heard in all his time as a Medjack. Her whole body tense and seized as tears poured from her eyes.

Minho looked at Jeff, his eyes filled with despair. "She's going to die." Is all he could say.

"""""""""""""""""

Thank you to those of you who have reviewed, favorited or followed! Or to anyone who is even opening up this story adnd taking a look at my work. Let me know if you have any ideas or requests! Just for a little background on me, this is my first story that isn't and SYOC, so im seriously loving (and needing) the support. Thanks so much! Hope you enjoy this!


	6. And I Think Oh How I Miss the Bright Sun

Her changing was different then any other. They were usually long. At least a few days. Memories came back in the form of choppy movies playing out through the victims brain as they slipped in an out of consciousness. The Swipe that blocked a Glader's memories would open like a floodgate, but only a few inches at a time, letting out snippets of a memory. Any afflicted victims were plagued with bubbly yellow boils on their skin and a a hue of green over their skin. They woke up in cold sweat, screamed through out the night and returned to consciousness a colder dislikable person.

For her, there were snippets, but more than usual. Plus a group of three memories that came in more cohesive pictures, like a movie recorded on a scratched CD. She didn't vomit on her self or turn green. She didn't jolt awake screaming or wake up a total b-i-t-c-h. It was like she arrived to the Maze with 0 percent of her past, and she woke up from a deep but short sleep with 50 percent of it.

 _I_ _t's soft and it's yellow. The world around her swims in warm light. It's adventure, but within the security of home._

 _She's younger. Her hands are round and plump, void of callouses and scratches. Golden curls peak into her peripheral vision and she leaves them be. On her legs she can see a pair of pale pink foot pajamas. These make her inexplicably happy._

 _She's trying to go down a set of stairs with a blanket clutched in one hand and the other grasping the banister above her. It's a challenge to hold the bannister but also squat low enough to reach the step below her. Before every decent she must take a leap of faith an release the wooden bar. The blanket is essential to her journey._

 _Suddenly two figures blow by her. It's her brothers. They are older, not much, but enough to make it down the stairs with ease. They push at eachother and roughhouse around, not noticing her struggle._

 _Then a leg catches her back. Some one is nearly tripping but then they catch themselves on the bannister. She is furious, they've nearly kicked her all the way down the wretched stairs._

 _"_ _Be careful Aiden." Some one say in a high pitched voice._

 _Then the two people are in front of her. It's Chase and Aiden. Curly blonde hair just like hers... big smiles just like hers._

 _"_ _Sorry Pipes." Aiden apologizes bending in front of her.._

 _She isn't angry anymore. She lets out a gurgled laugh._

 _Chas tugs at Aiden's shoulder. "_ _C'mon guys, it's time to go open presents." The glee returns to Chase's voice. With out needing to ask permission he scoops her into his arms and bounds down the stairs._

 _It's absolutely terrifying and thrilling and Piper can't help but squeal in joy and fear and happiness as she and her brother run towards the living room. She can't be sure, but if she had to guess she'd say Chase is one of the fastest boys in the world._

 _The aderenilne rush stops as soon as the tree comes into view. It's decorated brilliantly. Off of each branch sprouts a brilliantly crafted ornament; they shimmer in the glow of thousands of shining lights. Tinsel hangs in dramatic bellowing waves. There are dozens and dozens of boxes scatter along the floor covered in bright packaging._

 _A mile wide smile cracks over her face._

 _Then there are adults. There is a baby in the woman's arm. It's Mommy and Daddy and little Chloe._

 _"_ _Look who came guys!" Daddy cries._

 _"_ _Santa!" Chase and Aiden cheer._

 _Piper's eyes grow wide, "Thanta?" She'd only heard stories of the man's glory, but it was true. He really did bring presents to all the good boys and girls!_

They open gifts and eat cinnamon roles and later it snows. The rest is choppy and muddled in Green's brain, but the warm feeling remains.

Then bullets of information zoom through her brain.

Chase Adien Piper and Chloe. They were the Richards.

Her middle name is Evelyn. Chloe's is Fiona.

She got a bike for her fifth birthday.

Aiden is 18 months older than her. Chase is 3 years older.

Chloe is 2 years younger than her.

She likes the color purple. She doesn't tell people this because is makes them think she's a girly girl.

Her best friends where Mary and Sam. They played soccer together.

Then a long one comes again.

 _It starts blue and green. Alive and beyond happy to be so._

 _They're outside, She's older now. The stairs don't phase her anymore. The new obstacle she faces are the metal monkey bars on the swing set Dad just bought chase for his 9th birthday. They must be at least 5 feet apart and 10 feet high!_

 _The cold steel rods stand between her and her brothers. Both Chase and Aiden have made it across. Chloe marvels at the toys in the sand box to their right._

 _"_ _You can do it Pipes!" Chase cheers to her._

 _"_ _What are ya Green, chicken?" Aiden challenges, sticking out his tongue._

 _"_ _Don't call me that." She whines._

 _"_ _Don't listen to him. Just come across. I'll catch you if you fall."_

 _"_ _You mean_ when _she falls?"_

 _"_ _Cut it out Aiden!" She demands. She looks at the metal bars, gripping them tightly in both hands._

 _She's brave, everyone tells her that. So why is she so scared?_

Something happens, Green doesn't remember. But that part is no longer important because _all of a sudden Dad's car is racing down the drive way. It's quite early for him to be home. Her siblings ignore this; they run to him, cheering about their new swing set and all of its glory._

 _She had done the monkey bars. She wants to tell Dad, but she keeps quiet. Something isn't right..._ _Dad has something else on his mind; she sees it right away. A thin layer of sweat lies on his forehead._

 _"_ _Dad it's so cool!"_

 _"_ _The slide is fast!"_

 _"_ _Daddy will you come push me on the swing?" Chloe's blonde curls bounce as she reaches for dad. People all say they look alike. She doesn't see it. Chloe has blue eyes._

 _"_ _Not now guys." Dad bends down and lifts Chloe into his arms, "I think you guys should all come inside. Where is your mom?"_

 _"What's going on Dad?" She asks. He doesn't answer._

They're inside all of a sudden _. Mom and Dad whisper harshly in the kitchen. The voices of reporters echo in the background from the small TV. Something bad has happened._

 _Chloe wants to play dolls. She won't play with her, she's trying to listen. Chase agrees to be Ken._

 _She and Aiden sit at the edge of the playroom, their eyes glued on the TV._

The floods.

The sun flares.

Then the Flare.

Mom dies.

Chloe dies.

Then they move. Dad is a doctor. He is needed in Denver to tend to the sick.

Dad isn't around much.

Chase dies.

It's the worst pain she's ever felt. She screams like she's being burnt by cigarettes.

She turns 7, Aiden turns 8. They have no presents and no party.

Dad dies. She doesn't cry for him or say any last words. She just stares. She wants to throw up.

They have funeral. They're alone.

Aiden won't stop calling her Green. She breaks his nose. He gives her a black eye. They don't talk for a week.

They only have each other now. Aiden tells her she's growing up.

WICKED finds them.

Aiden spends his days in testing. She trains to be a guard.

They are still aloud to share a room.

They don't spend much time together. When she sees him all she can do it smile. They talk about their days.

Aiden turns 16. He's not aloud to see her anymore.

She's alone.

She sees him on the screen one day. He's in the experiment now.

She watches him every chance she gets. He's doing really well. He's saving the world.

She trains.

Then a long one.

 _She's standing shoulder to shoulder with 20 other people dressed all in black. A man speaks to him. His words are nonsensical warbles to her_. It might be the choppy memory or maybe she just didn't care what he was saying. _He paces back and forth._

 _"_ _Chapman, Waters, Yang. Left wing watch. Duty released at 18 hundred hours. Go now." Three guards nod and march off, rifles on their backs, heads looking straight a head. "Morris, Everrts, McBryd and White you've got Subject A quarters tonight." Four more detach themselves from the group. "Richards and Patel, you're on surveillance room A."_

 _She smiles. That's Aiden's room._

 _She hides her excitement._

 _An Indian man is walking next to her. His name is Rohan. He's only a year older than her and the only other guard new to the Force. They've had this shift together before._ _Major Whick likes to keep them together. They're rookies, and Whick is dying for them to screw up. Rohan_ _lives to annoy her, though he's the closest thing to a friend that she's got on the Force. There's Michael, a young engineer, but other then the two boys and herself, WICKED doesn't keep a lot of youths around if they aren't participating in experiments._

 _"_ _Some one's in a good mood." Rohan sneers in a hushed tone as they near the surveillance room._

 _She rolls her eyes, "I should've never told you about Aiden."_

 _"Happy to see your older brother?"_

 _"I am actually." She beams, "Your shitty personality isn't going to change that."_

 _"Ok... Green."_ _She stops walking. Rohan does to. He's gone to far. Even he can recognize this. "I-I shouldn't've. Sorry."_

 _She rolls her eyes again, "Just try to keep your mouth shut for the rest of this day? Really. Don't piss me off. You've seen me with a knife."_

 _"Sure, you could kill me in a second from 20 feet away, but the question is... will you?" Rohan asks as if he is some sort of poet/philosopher._

 _"With pleasure." She smirks._

 _Rohan is silent the rest of the way._

 _They reach their post. Surveillance room A is written on the door in small black block letters. She knocks on it sharply._

 _Doctor Crawford opens it._

 _"_ _Hello Doctor. We are here for your protection." Green says robotically._

 _Doctor Crawford sighs, "Is this because of the Right Arm raids?"_

 _Neither she nor Rohan answer. Reluctantly, she lets them in._

 _It's a large, white room covered in TVs and desks. There are three other scientists sitting at different clusters of screens._

 _Rohan plants himself on the right side of the room; she takes the left. The rules are that they remain silent. They are not to disturb the scientist unless their lives are in danger. Doing so would mean termination from the Guard Force._

 _Green watches the Screens. Something is happening. The boys of Glade A gather around the box._

 _Some one has gone down there._

 _She scans for Aiden but… but he's not there._

 _"_ _See anything Nick?" Some one from the screen calls._

 _Her eyes grow wide. Long ago she figured out that her brothers name was replace by WICKED. Nick for Nikola Tesla she assumed._

 _"_ _Keep lowerin—"_

 _There is a loud_ SWOOSH _. The boys gasp and whisper. Some one calls for Nick but he doesn't answer. They began pulling on the rope quickly._

 _Her heart drops a thousand feet. "C'mon Aiden." She whispers to her self, "c'mon."_

 _And then his body is there. Just half of it. He lies motionless on the grass._

 _He's dead._

 _She wants to scream._

 _She bites her tongue._

 _She want's to shoot the scientists._

 _She clenches her fists._

 _She wants to cry._

 _Tears slip from her eyes silently. She can't control it._

 _She must watch for the rest of the day._

 _She is now completely and entirely alone._

 _This... this is the worst pain she's ever felt. This is the worst pain she will ever feel. This is emptiness. This is looking at yourself and realizing... you are alone now, you are a movement and the universe is a force acting against you and no one is looking out for you._

 _This is losing her best friend and her guardian._

 _It crushes her._

 _""""""""""""""_

Minho had agreed to stay awake. Honestly, he didn't trust Jeff not to turn on them. Sure, Thomas had been convincing. "Even if you are going to kill her, don't let her go out like this." He'd said as she contorted and seized; the heart stopping pain was evident on her face. But just because Jeff gave them the serum didn't mean he wouldn't run the first chance he got.

So Minho watched and waited.

His eyes drifted to Green, they seemed to return there often through out the night.

His heart nearly stopped as he saw her. She was no longer laying on the ground in a motionless heap. Instead, she was sitting up straight, her eyes open and staring off into space somewhere right next to his head. In the dim light cascading in through the single window, Minho could see that they were wet.

"Oh my God Green, you scared the klunk out of me." Minho half whispered. She didn't blink. "You ok there shank?" Minho wondered why she was awake so early. The Changing often took days, but she barely been out an 8th of one.

He studied her. She was distant and cold. He saw no resemblance to the girl he'd spent the last 10 hours with.

She spoke to him in a voice so quiet and so haunting that Minho nearly shivered "I remember everything." She said. Her damp eyes flick to him. They were swollen and blotchy. "You all killed my brother."

"""""""""""""""

This was a lot of backstory and memory. Hope you guys liked it. Bookrain, I would be conflicted to honestly. I mean is freedom for 50 boys really not worth the life of one girl? Especially because, to them, she is a stranger. I'm glad you're feeling conflicted, that's kind of how I want my readers to feel! To the guest asking about my SYOC, I am stuck on whether or not to go back. I really like the other characters in the story, but I'm conflicted with a mix of writers block and not feeling interest from my readers. I find writing SYOCs a little more rewarding because people are reading not for their own character but for interest in my actual story. Thanks also to Anne and SDB for their continued support and to every new reviewer! Let me know what you think about Green/Piper's life before the Glade! the Next chapter will be up soon with more action.


	7. I'll Be a Dreamer Till the Day I Die

Sure, it was an over exaggeration. She didn't remember everything. In fact, she didn't remember most things. Her mind was like an unsolved puzzle. It was broken, but most of the pieces were there.

And they didn't kill her brother, but every time she blinked Green saw them pulling up the top half of his lifeless body from the box. She saw them scream and mourn him for an hour or two. Then she saw them shove his body into a glass box as a warning to every despicable kid that ever crawled out of their wretched box.

The rage ran through her like blood. It fueled her.

"Green, what are you talking about? We haven't killed anyone." Minho said

"Where did you put his body? I wanna see him." She bit back her words because if she didn't she would scream.

"Whose body? There is no body."

"Don't you fucking dare. Don't you dare play dumb with me!" The girl had lost it now. Thomas and another boy, one she didn't care to ask question about, begun to wake up.

"Green slim it."

"Don't call me that!" She blurted out.

"Ok," Minho's voice was steady but unnerved. "What should I call you."

The question baffled her. "I-I don't know." For a moment the rage melted and was replace by heart throbbing loss. Should they call her Piper? Green? Aiden had only called her Green but once she lost him to the trials her fellow guards just called her Ricahrds. A crushing feeling of loneliness washed over her. Without Aiden she was just some girl trying to make it in the broken world. They had once been a duo, partners in crime, and then he was gone and she was nothing.

What is Robin with out Batman?

Minho had stood up and inched closer to her, his arms held out in front of him as if she might attack.

"Listen, you're freaked the shuck out. You got some memories back and the Greiver sting is still probably in your system a little. It's a miracle you're awake."

"No, it's a poorly engineered mistake. They didn't care if I lived or died!" She cried to him.

"Well keep up the yelling at you're going to die!"

"Minho what's happening?" Thomas demanded. He was standing behind him, blue eyes locked on Green.

"She thinks we killed somebody."

"You did! I need to see him." She searched them for understanding, for recognition, but there was none. They were more concerned with her silence. So she couldn't be there. So she did something crazy. Something that was so like Piper or Green or who ever she was that it felt as if she'd done it 100 times before.

She took 4 big steps, shoved past Minho, and dove right out of the second story window.

"""""""""""""""

She would die, Minho was sure of it.

She was weak, poorly hydrated, and already injured. Then she dove out a 15 foot high window. If the fall didn't kill her, poor judgment and insanity would later in her life.

Minho didn't scream as she fell. He didn't call to her or jump after her. He just watched her.

She fell with such liberation and content that Minho wonder she was suicidal. Maybe the purpose was to die. But befoe she belly flopped against the rough grass, she tucked her self into a ball and rolled to the side, landing perfectly on the ground with out so much of a thud.

"That chick is shucking jacked." Jeff breathed.

Minho just watched her in disbelief as she took off in a dead sprint towards the dead heads.

"C'mon we need to go get her." Thomas said.

Minho shook his head. "If she's going to jump out a shuck window and run around screaming like she's got klunk for brains, then you can count me out of mission "Rescue Crazy Blonde Chick"."

Thomas was shocked, "We spent so much time trying to keep her alive. We can't just abandon her. She's not in her right mind."

"Yah, she's jacked. Not our problem. She's not out damn kid Thomas. We didn't freaking raise her."

"You're right, she's not our kid, she's our friend. And I won't leave her."

"Good that Thomas." Minho stuck his thumb into his own chest, "I'm going to go save Newt and Alby. They've never accused me of murder." With that he spun on his heels to face the door. He had his hand on the knob when it swung open sending Minho stumbling into Thomas.

Standing in front of them was a certain Builder Minho had the pleasure of knowing for the last 2 years. In his hand he clutched a rusted machete taken from the Slicers.

"Where's the little shankette?" Gally sneered. "I'm going to kill her."

"Just go back to sleep Gally. We don't need to get into this right now." Thomas insisted.

Gally took a step into the room. His eyes landed on Jeff, "You're a dirty traitor." He spat.

"Gally I'm not—"

"Are you not with them? Then fight with me?"

"I'm not _with_ anyone. I'm just… not sure about it anymore."

"Lousy slinthead. I shouldn't have trusted any of you!" Gally cried.

"Slim it nice and calm Gally ol' pal. We don't need any trouble. Just take a step outside this room and let us go on our marry way. We don't even have her." Minho said.

Gally searched the small room. "Where is she?"

Minho shrugged. "She-bean left us. She also has a knack for not trusting people. You too would really get along."

"Cram it Minho! I sick of you're bull crap!" Gally yelled. "You all are—" He stopped midsentence. His eyes landed on something just past Minho's head. "You all are right." His tone changed drastically. Gally's green eyes were suddenly back on Minho's; he was smiling. "I think I need a little air. Maybe a walk to the Deadheads will do."

"No!" Minho screamed. He lunged at Gally, yanking him to the floor. Gally was able to get his feet in front of him and kick Minho against the wall. He got up, lowering himself to pounce at the Runner, but Jeff jumped between them.

"Run! I'll hold him off!" The Medjack ordered. He glanced back at them, "Go!"

Thomas pulled Minho to his feet. Gally and Jeff stood in front of the door, leaving the only exit as…

He didn't know what was happening until it happened. Thomas stepped forward with all his might and shoved Minho hard in the chest, and then he was falling. The wind rushed through his hair, his heart nearly stopped beating.

"Umph!" Minho groaned as he slammed his back into the grass.

"Move!" Thomas screamed. Minho just barely rolled to the side in time to dodge Thomas's body. He too landed with a large thud and a painful groan.

"You… just pushed me… from a window." Minho muttered.

"You'll thank me some day." Thomas winced. "C'mon we've got to go get her."

Jeff wouldn't be able to hold Gally off for long. If they were lucky, and Gally took the stairs not the freefall route, they had a 30 second to 1 minute lead.

The pair sprang to their feet and darted towards the Deadheads. After 15 seconds they broke the tree line. Their bodies crashed through the woods like bulldozers. Twigs snapped, branches bent, grass was smashed.

Minho had to admit, Thomas was one quick shank. A little longer and the Glade and he could be Runner material.

"Where do you think she went?" Thomas called.

Minho wracked his brain for what she said before she plummeted from the window. "She kept talking about a murder."

"Of course! The Graveyard!"

Minho couldn't help but crack a grin, he was a smart shank too.

"It's this way." Minho directed, pulling Thomas towards the very back of the Deadheads.

Trees. Trees. Trees. And then a clearing. The woods opened up around them revealing a dozen graves and Green, hunched over one of them, head in her hands.

"… I should've never let you go. I should've fought you or forced you to run away with me. I-I should've begged you to stay with me. I could've tried harder." She sobbed.

"Green…" Thomas trailed, taking a hesitant step forward towards the girl. The moonlight illuminated her petite figure. She looked so small, so weak in that position.

Her head snapped towards the boys. "Please. Leave me alone." There was a hard glint to her words, a certain harshness mixed with desperation.

"If we leave you here you're going to die. Be more grateful. We jumped out of a window." Minho grunted.

Thomas glared at him before returning to Green. "What ever happened I'm sure it was really tragic, and I'm sorry. But we need to go." He took a few steps closer to her.

"Why would you burry him like this?" She said between grit teeth.

"Wh-" Thomas began.

She spun around and jumped to her feet, pushing past Thomas and marching right up to Minho.

"Why would you burry Nick like this?" she spat.

Minho held up his hands, "How do you know about Nick?"

"HE WAS JUST YOUR DAMN WARNING SIGN! YOU LEFT HIM HERE TO ROT!" She jutted a finger in the direction of the tomb Alby had asked Gally to fashion a few months ago. It held their old leader, Nick, and a small sign reading " _Let this half shank be a warning to all: You can't escape through the box hole."_

"So this is all about Nick? Green it was supposed to be a warning."

"He was you're leader. He was just trying to help you escape! He wasn't some idiot kid who jumped down the hole to get a good laugh! He was smart and good and he didn't deserve to die!" Her words were cold, bitten and fierce with hatred. She fell to her knees and buried her head in her hands.

Suddenly it hit Minho. Nick's soft green irises, freckles and curly light brown hair. The way his cheeks nearly covered his eyes when he smiled. " _He_ was your brother?"

This only fueled Green's sobs.

"Shuck. Green, I'm so sorry."

She pushed her hair back with one hand. Her breaths were short and quick. "Why... why did h-he have to d-die?" she sputtered.

"He was a real good guy. Nothing like the rest of the shanks in here." Minho consoled her pointlessly. "Just breathe."

"Guys… we need to go." Thomas warned.

Minho crouched next to Green. "I'm sorry this happened. And I promise we'll rebury him later. But it's not going to make you or him feel any better if Gally kills you while you're crying next to his grave." That was harsh: Minho recognised his own severity instantly, something he didn't usually do, but Green nodded.

"C'mon. We've got to hurry." Minho ordered, grasping her hand. He stood up quickly and pulled her to her feet. "Follow me. This way. I've got a plan that might keep you alive for the next two hours."

"""""""""""""""""

Newt had grown quiet bored of trying to wake Alby up.

Minho and him had both agreed that leaving them tied up was the best way to not attract any attention and it had worked quiet perfectly. Other then Frypan bringing them in their dinner with a sheepish apology no one had come in an checked on them.

Alby fluttered in an out of consciousness and sleep, but for the most part his brain was still intact.

So Newt had spent the last 10 hours almost entirely on his own… until Thomas, Minho and the girl bust into the Gathering room.

"Bloody hell, you guys look like you've gone to hell and back." Newt whispered as the three piled into the poorly lit room.

"We have." Minho muttered. He jogged over to Newt and instantly began cutting the ropes that bound him to the whicker chair. As soon as he was free Minho moved on to Alby.

"I must say, I'm quite glad to see you shanks still alive."

"We're glad to be alive." Minho sighed.

Newt studied the girl. She looked so different then she had when they pulled her from the box. Then, even though she was confused and scared, she's been bright and sunny. Now her hair was matted down at the top and uncontrollably frizzy at the bottom. Her eyes were red and blotchy from tears; they sank into her skull with dark bags sagging below them. Her skin glistened with a layer of unwashed sweat. Her clothes were tattered and dirtied and her lips were dry and cracked. She was harder now, more distant and unwelcoming.

"Newt this is Green. Green this is Newt." Minho said half heartedly.

"Glad you're alive too." Newt said with a small smile. He meant it to be genuine, but the day had taken it's toll on him. It came out more force then he meant it to.

The girl returned the gesture.

"We've got a little less than two hours till the box comes for her. Everyone will be waking up in an hour. I figured we could hide out here until we start hearing the morning commotion and then make a break for the bathrooms. We'll lock ourselves in there and they'll all just think it's some poor shank who's got the klunks real bad." Minho explained to Newt with a devilishly immature grin.

"Not a bad idea I guess." Newt shrugged, "Can we make it here an hour?"

"Gally's searching the Deadheads for her like crazy. As long as we keep our voices down I think we'll be ok."

"So then… what happens when she leaves?" Newt asked. No one met his eyes. Suddenly it occurred to him that they hadn't thought of that in the least. "Well? Things aren't just going to back to buggin' normal. They betrayed us."

Minho studied his shoes. Thomas furrowed his brow.

"Come with me. All of you." Green said quietly.

"Come again?" Newt asked.

"Like the Creators are just going to let us leave." Minho scoffed.

"The Creators are an organization called WICKED. Th-they think they have all of this power but they don't" She began speaking quickly, excitement built up in her eyes. "They think that they're unstoppable and that because we're in the dumb cage we can't fight back. But come with me. We can get in the Box together and beat the shit out of every WICKED worker when we get back there."

"I do like punching my way out of things." Minho beamed.

Newt shook his head. "They aren't going to let us leave. Not with out the results of their experiment or what ever the hell this is."

"But—"

"It's not going to work Love. They aren't letting us out of this mess." Newt bit. There was an undeserved harshness behind his voice. The idea of false hope stoked an angry fire inside of him, one he'd been harboring for years.

"Fine." The girl surrendered quickly. The energy that had over come with the break of a new idea diminished and she returned to her gloomy state. A pang of guilt rose in Newt's chest as she slumped over to the wall and slid down it. He forced his eyes off her and onto Minho and Thomas.

"So, how'd you guys escape the Maze?"

Thomas looked at his feet, "It wasn't easy."

"I can bloody imagine."

"I've never seen some one throw a knife like this kid." Minho blurted out, jabbing his finger in Green's direction. "She hit a Griever right in its joint from 20 feet away."

Newt whistled, "That's a skill worth having."

Green didn't look up; she stared at her hands as if she'd never seen them before.

"""""""""""""""

The memories played over and over again in her head. They ingrained them selves in her mind like a brand on cattle: burned into her flesh.

"Green… you hearing me kid?" Some one asked in the distance. It was Minho, he was looming over her with his brow raised in question.

Green's head snapped up. "Wha? I-I wasn't listening." She admitted sheepishly.

"To any of it?" Newt asked.

She nodded.

A small smile tugged at the British boy's lips, "No worries. We're going to the bathroom. The Runners should've left by now."

"We're just sticking to the plan." Minho said, making eye contact with all of them.

"And if things don't go as planned?" some one asked. Green's head spun towards the unfamiliar voice. It was the dark skinned boy who had greeted her right as she exited the box, Alby.

"When did he wake up?" She asked.

"Like 10 minutes ago Green. Were you really that out of it?" Minho asked with a hint of a chuckled.

She shot him a glare.

"If things don't go as planned" Newt emphasized, stepping in the middle of Minho and her stare off, "then we are only fighting 8 runners verses 50 Gladers."

"Plus," Minho added, "Those shanks look up to me like I'm 10 feet tall. I think I could sway them onto our side."

Newt rolled his eyes. "Keep telling yourself that mate." He couldn't help but crack a grin.

The petty banter was putty in Green's ears. She felt like she was just under the surface of a pool of water. Everything was blurred and noises were just gargles. Her world felt heavy.

Minho pulled her to her feet. She hung back as the boys inched toward the exit quietly.

"C'mon, the sooner we get out there the sooner this is all shucking over with." Minho muttered to Newt, Thomas, and Alby.

 _Is he eager to get us all to safety? Or to get rid of me?_ The voice in the back of her head nagged. She pushed it back with a scowl. She had no time for useless, annoying thoughts. Whether Minho wanted to get rid of her or not was irrelevant. Living was relevant now.

It was true. She wanted to live, but not because her life was worth living, but because WICKED needed to pay for everything they were doing to the innocent.

"Green lets go." Minho hissed back to her. The others were already out the door.

"Minho…" She trailed. Her voice was urgent. He looked into her eyes, pausing for a moment.

"What's wrong?"

She took a deep, heaving breath, trying to control her anger, "I'm sorry I blamed you for my brother's death. It wasn't your fault."

"Ok," He nodded gently, "But why are you telling me this now? We can save the boo-hoos for later."

A haunted smile tugged at her lips, "What if there isn't a later?"

Minho took a step back, she could tell that a million things were racing through his head. He opened his mouth to force something out but the other boys bursted back into the room.

"Minho… you're gunna want to see this." Thomas breathed. They pulled him out of the room and Green scrambled behind them. Her heart sunk as she saw it.

The light of a dozen torches illuminated the glade as the sun began to just barely peak up from the horizon. 30 Gladers at least marched towards them.

"We aren't here to fight. We just want the girl." A voice called.

Green glanced down at her watch.

41 minutes left.


	8. But They say Oh, How the Good Die Young

Minho turned instantly. "Green go inside." He said. "Alby, stay with her."

For a second Minho believed the Leader might question his orders. Alby was in charge after all; if some one was going to deal with a mob of Gladers it should've been him. But hesitantly the dark-skinned boy shuffled back into the hut to stay with Green. He'd been a bit off since he'd woken up.

"I'm not hiding in here, this is my life we're fighting for." Green spat.

"Yah, well I might be able to reason with them. One look at you and those shanks won't give you a life to fight for at all." Minho snapped. He expected her to fight. If there was one thing he'd learned about the big haired, doe eyed girl it was that she wasn't quick to give in. But Minho was just as stubborn. He shot her an intense glare.

"Green you're staying in there. I'll shucking kill you before I let those slintheads kill you." She opened her mouth. "Don't push me, blondie."

Green crossed her arms and slunk back into the hut.

"Thomas, Newt, come on." Minho grumbled.

Together the golden trio marched towards the mob. Gally, Zart, Winston and Graham led the group. It was them that Minho began yelling at.

"Hey Gally, little early for you to be out and about, don't you think shank?" Minho snarled.

"Cut the crap Minho. We all know what's about to happen."

"Why are you doing this Gally?" Thomas asked.

"Oh slim it Greenie. Everything changed the moment you showed up. I'm still sure you've got something to do with all of this."

Thomas peered behind the Builder to the mob. "You drug Chuck into this?" He demanded.

"Ya, the kid's allowed to have a say in his freedom."

"You have no right—"

"Careful Greenie." Gally warned.

"We can talk this through." Newt said in an oh-so-Newt type of way. "We'll call a gathering, discuss this all again."

"There can't be more than 40 minutes before the little watch on the shankette's wrist beeps. Once that happens there'll be nothing left to talk about."

"K, how 'bout instead you all turn your butts around before I kick the klunk out of each one of you?" Minho suggested.

Gally glared at the Runner, "You're not half as intimidating as you think you are."

"Oh really?" Minho asked before cocking his fist and sailing it right into his freckled cheek. He hit Gally with a loud _crack!_ And the boy stumbled back at least 3 steps.

"Damn it Minho! How can you be so shucking blind? There are 50 of us and, what, like 5 of you? Give it up!"

Minho turned around, across the glade and through the darkness his eyes locked with Green's.

He gave her a small smile. She needed to know she had some one looking out for her. "Never." He grumbled under his breath.

"""""""""""""

She knew it wasn't going to end well. There was no compromise to be struck.

She could've surrendered. What did she have left to live for? A shitty job with employers that tried to have her killed? An empty home with scarring memories of a family that had all passed away? The open lands of the Earth ravished by the sun and disease?

If she were a different kind of person—a better kind of person—she would've just surrendered. They were lost souls trying to survive just like her. She harbored no resentment for them. They were immature idiots who buried her last living family member in an open tomb with little to no respect, but they weren't the ones who killed him.

If she were a better kind of person she would let them kill her so they could go free. The voice in the back of her head told her to let go— _is your life worth their freedom?_

But she wasn't a better kind of person. She was stubborn and prideful and arrogant. She was curious and adventurous and brave. She wasn't a better person at all. And neither was Minho. Through the darkness of the Glade their eyes locked.

Understanding passed through both of them. Green was not to give up. She was going to fight to the very last moment.

She smiled, a real genuine smile. She might be alone, but she had support. Some one wanted her alive.

Her hand snaked towards the knife in her jean waste band. Her fingers stopped right where they should've met the soft rubber covered handle, but there was nothing there.

"What the—"

A hand clamped down on her mouth. She screamed out but the noises were muffled and impossible to make out. "Shhhh." The knife was at her throat. It was Ably; she could see the dark skinned hand in the bottom of her vision.

She wanted to scream at him, call him a dirty traitor and spit in his face. Instead she locked her ankle and drove her heel back into his shin. He cried out in pain loosing his hold on her just enough for Green to slam her elbow into his stomach. He doubled over and she spun from his grasp.

"What the hell?" She cried.

There he was, crouching over himself, her knife clutched in his hand. He didn't respond, but his eyes shifted up to meet hers.

"It's not personal." Is all he muttered before pouncing at the girl. She dodged easily, but his fist caught her cheek. She winced, letting her guard down for long enough for him to throw her against the wall and pin her there. The knife was pressed against her neck again.

"Why Alby?" She croaked.

Through grit teeth he spoke to her, "As much as I hate to say it, that slinthead Gally is right. W-we can't live here any longer Green." Alby was desperate for her to understand. His eyes flicked back and forth between hers, pleading for forgivness.

"Don't do this." She managed, "You're better than this Alby."

Alby shook his head. Tears pooled just under his eyes, "I can't do this anymore Green. I can't be in charge of the lives of 50 shanks. Every kid here looks to me. Every shuck Greenie. I-I never wanted this job. Nick was perfect, Nick always knew what to do."

"Yeah well he's dead and you're in charge. And do you think Ai… I mean, Nick would've killed a girl to take the easy way out?" Green shouted.

"Nick would've done what's best for the Glade!" Alby cried, pressing the knife harder into her neck. She felt warm blood drip down and collect at her collarbone. A small stinging feeling webbed its way across her skin.

"Nick wouldn't kill some one! Not even if it meant letting 50 people go free! Life meant something to him!"

"I'm not letting my friends suffer any longer! Their lives mean something to me!" He shouted.

There was no conversation to be had. Green couldn't reason with him, and she couldn't escape him.

"I hope you see me _every_ _fucking_ _night_ in your nightmares, you son of a bitch." She spat right into his eye. She wanted to be brave and go with dignity but her heart was beating so fast. Her blood boiled with anger and her brain was muddled with conflicting thoughts.

 _Tell him its ok. Tell him you understand. Scream in his face. Kick him in the nuts. Let go, it's not worth it. Tell him you forgive him. Tell him to burry you next to Aiden. Don't let go. Fight him, Fight them all._

She didn't want to die.

Oh God, she didn't want to die.

"Bloody hell Alby!"

Green had never been so happy to hear a British accent.

"Newt get him off me!" She pleaded.

"Alby, _let her go_." Newt insisted.

"We're not losing this opportunity. Not when we're so close to freedom." Alby yelled over his shoulder. Suddenly there were more people at the door, Green could see them in the corner of her eye.

"Alby you slinthead! Get off her!" It was Minho. Some one was holding him back.

"Do it Alby c'mon." It was Gally.

"C'mon Alby!"

She wouldn't go out this way. She couldn't.

Alby looked behind him. His eyes shifted from Glader to Glader. Some of them cried for him to stop, some of them cheered like they were watching a game, a few looked away quietly.

This was the worst possible way to go. She didn't want to end it like this.

She wouldn't go out this way. She couldn't.

She took his hesitation as an oppetunity. Green grit her teeth and drove her knee into his crotch. Alby grunted in pain and released her immediately. She kicked him hard in the stomach and then again in the jaw.

Suddenly she was free. She surged forward with a burst of hope and aderneline, only to meet the gaze of the crowd in front of her. Newt, Minho and Thomaswere each held by a different Glader and the door way was entirely blocked off. She was surrounded. Her heart sank.

Alby groaned in pain on the floor.

"There's no way out." Gally said as her eyes met his.

"Let us go you shucking shucks! I swear I should've drug you all out to the Grievers!" Minho yelled as he struggled against Gally and Graham's grasps.

She looked at her watch. 32 minutes left. She'd never make it.

"It's over girly. Time to go." Gally spoke again. His voice was almost regrettable, as if he hadn't been the driving force behind the campaign for her death.

Then she did something that surprised her self.

"Fine." Green surrendered. "Take me. I'm done fighting."

"Green no. Don't you dare give up." Minho spat.

"You can't do this Gally! Have some bloody humanity!" Newt cried.

"Slim it Newt. She's giving her self up." Gally bit.

"Like hell she's giving herself up. It's another shucking trick." Graham warned Gally.

"Don't you dare touch her Gally!" Minho continued to shout.

Green stepped forward. "I-I don't want to be trapped when I die. I want it to e quick and painless and I don't want to feel suffocated. Alby pinning me against a wall… that's not the way I wanted to go." She picked up the knife Alby had dropped and walked over to Gally. He extended his hand to her.

"I'll make it painless darlin'"

She forced a smile, "Do good things out there in the real world."

"Green I swear to God…" Minho trailed, but Green tuned him out.

The knife felt heavy in her hand. The world tunneled around Gally's extended arm. She would give him the knife and she would die.

Green sighed. Before Gally could blink she reared back her hand and drove the knife straight through his palm.

"MOTHERSHUCKER!" Gally wailed.

"Yah? FUCK YOU!" Green screamed sticking her middle finger in his face.

"""""""""""""

Green yanked the knife from his hand and Gally collapsed to the ground in pain. Everyone moved at once. With Gally out of the picture Minho pounced on Graham. Newt struggled against Frypan who wasn't trying to hard to hold him back, and Green was frozen in place.

Thomas shoved Ben to the ground and kicked him in the ribs hard. With his hands free he turned to Green.

She was a deer in headlights. Her eyes were wide and her skin was void of color. She hadn't planned that. She didn't have a next move.

"Run!" Thomas screamed to her. He shoved two people next to him to the side and forcefully cleared a small path for her. "Run!"

"""""""""""""""

Green pushed through a dozen Gladers. One of them tried to grab her but she swung her fist into his eye. Another lunged but she round house kicked him in the neck.

And then there was open space in front of her. She didn't look she just ran. Her feet pouned against the floor and her heart pounded in her ears. Adrenaline flowed through her body like oxygen in her blood. Green couldn't help but smile. If she was going to die tonight then this is how she would want to go: in a blaze of cruse words and glory.

24 minutes.

She cut left and cut towards the Deadheads. She could sense people running behind her and she could barely register them at all. They were background noise.

Her feet led her to the tree line. She broke through it fast; branches cracked under her weight. Twigs snatched at her clothes as she weaved in an out of the pines but she ignored it all.

She considered climbing a tree or going to Nick's tomb to say goodbye but both of those were like admitting defeat.

Green was still in it to win.

She veered right. Her feet carried her out of the woods and towards the gardens.

21 minutes.

She crashed through the garden. Tomato poles toppled behind her. She kicked up at least 40 plants and destroyed a family of basil.

Some one was right behind her; it was a runner, Leo. In a few more steps he would catch her.

Green darted to the left, forcing her way into the small shed. With out stopping she snatched a large shovel and swung it behind her with a quick spin. The flat metal side contacted Leo's head with a satisfying _crack!_

He crumpled behind her.

Still she ran. The wind pressed against her face. She'd never felt so alive.

Green passed the animal's pens. She jumped the fence and opened the gate on the other side as she passed through, letting the cows, sheep and pigs run free.

18 minutes.

She barged through the kitchen and hopped over a table. Some one tripped over them self right behind her. Their hand grabbed for her ankle but she dodged them.

She jumped through the window she's escaped from just about 12 hours ago and rolled on the ground. Her eyes locked on the Maze door.

16 minutes left.

She could do it; she could hide in the maze for 16 minutes. She could make it out!

Green picked up her pace. She poured her speed into her legs.

"Argh!" She cried out as a body slammed into her, pulling her to the ground. In a panic she swung her fist wildly. Her heart was beating in her ears. Green screamed at her attacker, her fist made contact with his chin.

"Hey! Stop!"

Her vision cleared, "Minho!" She breathed in relief. "What are you doing? How did you get free?"

"C'mon!" He wrapped his fingers around her wrist, ignoring her question and yanking her to her feet.

"Where are Thomas and Newt?"

"This way. Come on!" He pulled her behind him as they ran.

3 boys were right behind them.

"Green, throw your knife." Minho yelled as they ran, "Just graze one of em."

"I can't run and throw!"

"Yes you can." Minho told her.

She swallowed hard. She spun around so she was running backwards. Minho held her shoulder, leading her in the right direction.

With the thin blade in hand she cocked back her arm and released it. The knife went sailing right past the middle boy's head. He flinched as the blade sliced a thin line across his cheekbone. His hands flew to his face and the other boys stopped to make sure he was ok.

Minho didn't even look back to see if she's done it or not. She suppressed her smile.

In front of them Thomas and Newt stood right next to the box.

"You're going to get in and we'll hold them off till it goes down." Minho said between breaths.

Suddenly some one ripped her from Minho. She tumbled to the ground, surrounded by a fog of dust and legs. There was grass in her mouth. Gally was on top of her. He slammed his fist into her cheek and pinned her to the hard floor.

Minho lunged for her but Graham stepped in front of him. The Slicer elbowed Minho in the jaw and grabbed him by his collar.

"Green!" Thomas called to her. Suddenly half a dozen Gladers were in front of them. The duo threw a few useless punches but was quickly overtaken. The attackers pinned their arms behind their backs. Thomas struggled and screamed, Newt tried to reason with them but all of it did no good.

"I would've felt bad doing this if you didn't stab me in my shucking hand." Gally snarled to Green as he finally secured her against the ground. She strained against his grasp on her wrist only to have him squeeze tighter.

" _I_ would've felt bad if I left without giving you something to remember me by." She stabbed at him.

"And that was the best thing you could think of? What about something a little sweeter?" he asked with a fake pouty face.

"Get the fuck off me!" Green cried.

"No. No playing this time. I'm going to kill you." Gally said matter-of-factly.

She jolted her back forward and managed to loosen Gally's grip on her wrists. They rolled around for a few minutes before Gally found his way back on top. This time he pressed his knee into her rib cage. He smashed his fist into her face again and again and again.

Her head swam.

She kneed him in the groin but he was able to ignore the pain. She spat in his eye and bit his hand when he covered her mouth but still nothing. He had no weapon but that didn't stop him from beating her senselessly. Another punch to the jaw, an elbow to the eye socket, his knuckles slamming against her nose.

Then his hands were off her wrists and around her throat. She clawed at his face, she managed to rip of lines of his skin even, but he didn't let go. Her air pipe closed. The world around her darkened. The image of Gally's face above her began to blur.

Echoy voices called her name from different parts of the Glade. They reached for her but everyone who wanted to save her was too far away.

Some one slammed into Gally, shoving him to the floor.

Sweet breaths of relief filled her lungs. She coughed and sputtered, forcing herself to sit up.

It was Jeff! The Medjack rolled around with Gally on the grass.

Green took the opportunity to look around her. Graham and Minho were locked in hand to hand, both of them were very skilled fighters. Thomas struggled against a group of Builders and Newt was desperately begging everyone to stop fighting. He would throw a punch and then try to reason with the person he's just hit.

Green's attention returned to Gally. He flung Jeff off of him and knocked him unconscious.

"Jeff!" Green cried as he collapsed to the ground. Blood dripped next to her eyes. Her face throbbed.

Gally scrambled to his feet and ran towards her. She met him with a fist to his gut and foot to his jaw. He grunted in pain and shoved her backwards. Green caught her balance and dodged a punch of him. She grabbed his arm, twisted it backwards and kicked out his legs so he was on his knees.

He sweeped out her feet and threw her over his head. His boot came down on her face and she screamed in agony.

Gally grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her to her feet by it. He drug her towards the box and the mob of Gladers.

"Some one give me a damn knife." Gally heaved. Blood poured from his nose. His eyes were swelling. "I'm ending this right now."

Green struggled against his grasp but he had a firm hold on her locks. She swung at his legs but nothing fazed him.

"GREEN!" Minho screamed. He began running towards her.

"Give me a knife!" Gally ordered. All of the Gladers hesitated.

"Puhleeassee! Stop! You can't do this!" Green cried. Her eyes met each of the boy's. Tears and blood swirled together and ran down her cheeks. "Please some body help me!" She screamed so loud her voice gave out half way through. Snot dripped from her nose.

"Give me that!" Gally ordered, snatching a knife from some boy's hand. Green managed to get on to her feet in a squatting position but Gally lurched his hand to his body sharply. He yanked hard on her hair causing her to cry out and fall back on to her butt. She dug her nails into his arm. "God damn it!" He yelled, loosing his grip.

She smashed her barefoot into his shin and scrambled away.

Graham was on top of Minho choking him.

Suddenly Gally's hands were on her shoulders, he forced her onto her back and pushed back her chin with his boot, exposing her body.

He raised his knife above his head with a sadistic victory smile.

Her heart stopped. Everything around her crashed as she realized that her fight was over. She'd lost.

Tears poured from her eyes but she didn't sob. She took a deep breath, her last breath, and muttered her final words.

"I-I'll save y-you a spot in… hell… bastard." Green managed before he drove the knife straight towards her chest.

 _Beep beep. Beep beep. Beep beep._

 _""""""""""""""""_

Thank you for the reviews! And all the support? Should I continue now that the 12 hours are up? Is Green dead? How are Minho, Thomas and Newt going to react? Will things go back to normal? Let me know if you want these question answered! Thank you though so much to everyone who has favorited and followed. Please please pleaaassseee give me feedback so I know what you all are thinking! Let me know how you feel and if you want more! I didn't plan on continuing after the 12 hours so give me ur opinion.


	9. We're all Strange

I decided to continue! Thank you for the words of support and the amazing reviews! Thanks to Anne, Book rain, Tezz, all the guests, SDB, Ezeguana, ASLN and FierceTiger.  You guys are so motivating and insipring. Tell me what you think about this next chapter! I am optimistic about Oh How the Good Die Young, and I think there will be more chapters to come :)!

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Things were… foggy.

The moment Gally stuck the thin kitchen knife into Green's chest Minho's whole world slowed down. Graham let go of him. His knees buckled slightly and he stumbled forwards towards her body.

Minho didn't cry out or scream for her. He was suddenly lost in a haze. His instincts took over and he wasn't in control any longer.

He ran to her and shoved Gally to the ground with one push. The Builder went limp against the cold morning grass. Minho fell to his knees, feeling the dew seep in through his dark jeans and the soft blades poke into his shin bones. His shoulders rose and fell as his eyes caressed her body. He didn't even know how to react. He just stared at her, his hands levitating over her body as his heart threatened to jump from his chest.

"Oh shuck. Oh shuck." He repeated.

Green grabbed for his hand and he held it tightly as she sucked in empty breaths. Her eyes filled with fear. She wheezed over and over again, begging anyone for some sort of relief. She pleaded with him to save her.

Thomas and Newt screamed, they shouted at Clint to help her. People around them whispered. They asked each other if Gally had done it. Were they free? Would the Box come to take her down?

But the whole time Minho stayed by her side, holding her hand. Their eyes were locked. They ignored everything and everyone.

She was so scared.

Gally was furious. He wanted to stab her again. He shrieked and called Green a whore. He said they ought to kill her just because she was scum, because why should she live if they were trapped here? This was her fault. He screeched empty threats and promised that they would never escape, she's damned them all.

Gally lunged at Minho but someone stepped in his way. In the corner of his eye Minho could see the boy swinging fists and here his cold, fuming voice shattering the air but still he ignored him. Minho scooped the girl into his arms. His eyes didn't leave hers.

"There's still time! Minho take her to the Box! WICKED will save her." Thomas cried. Someone was holding him back still, but it was different then before. It was support, not captivity.

He was right. Green could live. Someone could save her, right?

No. He could feel it in his bones that she would die. There was no hope running through his veins. Only a deep, sickening sorrow that told him he would never see the girl again. It crushed him.

"Put her in the Box Minho!" Thomas screamed. Still Minho stood motionless. The girl hung limply in his arms; her eyes were wide open.

Minho looked to Newt. He pleaded with his friend for help, for relief from the gut wrenching pain, but Newt said nothing. The blond just stared at Green with glassy eyes and a face of remorse. A few tears rolled sloppily down his cheeks.

"God damn it Minho, put her down." It was Alby. He strode over to Minho with his arms open wide.

"Hey! Back the shuck off!" Minho bit with every ounce of hatred he could muster. "Don't come close to her."

"Minho you're killing her!" Thomas screamed.

"You have to put her in the Box." Alby warned.

Minho looked around. His eyes shifted from Glader to Glader. They all began shouting at him, telling him to put her down or put her out of her misery. They told him WICKED could save her. The Creators could fix her.

They didn't know! They didn't know anything about her! Only he and Thomas did! They didn't know how badly he didn't want to let her go.

He looked down at her. The anger flowing through him caused his blood to boil and his muscles to clench. He wanted to bash their faces in because they did this to her!

But he glanced down at the girl in his arms. Her gaze had left his and shifted up to the orange, morning sky. Her expression relaxed; the fear melted away. Her dry, cracked lips, void of all color opened slightly. In a voice so weak Minho barely heard it she spoke. "Thank you… for being there…" A tear slipped down her pale cheek, she drug in another painful breath. "You are… an a-amazing… friend."

He shook his head. They were strangers. He'd only done what any reasonable person would do.

His heart stung with a pain he'd never felt before. It felt 100 pounds heavier and moved 100 times slower. His throat was closing up, his face felt hot, his chest constricted. He squeezed her hand, "Hold on Green. You can survive this." She didn't answer.

"""""""""""""""""

1 Week Later

""""""""""""""""""

Rebuilding had been… hard. There was talk of banishment for those who condoned betraying Alby's rules, but who hadn't broke a rule that night? Even the Greenie, Thomas, had gone out into the Glade with out permission. Alby had mulled over the punishment for hours and hours until he finally came to a solution.

A week later he stood in front of his fellow Gladers at the earliest hours of the day and spoke in a clear voice as they drooled over their breakfast food."

"We're going to move on." He said blatantly. We're going to forget about the girl and everything that took place while she was here. We won't talk about her, worry about her or even think about her. There will be no fights or discussions on the events of those 12 hours. No one will mention her."

"Green." Minho muttered. The Runner was sitting on a bench, leaning back, arms crossed over his chest.

"What'd you say?" Alby asked.

"Her name was Green." Minho said louder this time, sitting forward and flicking his eyes towards the leader.

Alby's face was stone. "We're going to forget her name too." He addressed the group now, "We've been a family for years. It's going to stay that way. Understand?"

Minho rolled his eyes.

Alby bit his lip hard. Minho had always be snarky and sassy and hard to control, Alby appreciated that about him. It was what made the guy such an amazing Runner. And because he was the best Runner the Glade had ever seen, Alby took a deep breath and pretended to not see his blatant disobedience.

"One word about the girl and you're thrown in the Slammer I don't wanna here it. Good that?"

The Gladers muttered halfhearted "good that"s and went on eating Frypan's eggs. Alby sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"C'mon, take a seat. You look bloody awful." Newt called, patting a section of bench next to him. Alby sat reluctantly. Across from him sat Thomas, Minho, Jeff and Zart. None of them spoke. They poked at their food and munched it quietly.

"Shouldn't you be running by now Minho?" Alby asked.

"Taking a late start." The boy muttered as he poked his fork around a wet hunk of egg.

Alby frowned. "We don't take late starts."

"We also aren't supposed to murder of innocent girls and get away with it but that happened so—"

"Damn it Minho enough!" Alby yelled, slamming his fist into the table. The blanket of soft chatter halted abruptly. All eyes were on the Leader and the Keeper of the Runners.

"What do you want, Admrial Alby? For me to forget that the slinthead Gally tried to slice my shucking throat? Or that the lot of them knock you upside the head and left you for dead?" Minho demanded.

"I want you to shut your big mouth and do your job like the rest of us!" Alby ordered.

"Hey! Both of you, enough!" Newt cried over his friend's bickering. "You guys are acting like buggin' four year olds. Stop it."

Alby glared at the blond before flicking his eyes back to Minho. "Get your self into the Maze with the other Runner or else spend the night in the slammer. I'm sick of you walkin' around here like you're the shucking prince of the Glade." He said between grit teeth.

"Fine. Have fun in here with your band traitors." Minho spat before standing up and storming out of the kitchen.

Alby scanned the group; everyone was staring at him.

"Five more minutes and then breakfast is over." He told them sharply. Slowly he sat back down; his blood was boiling.

"Why don't you go take a walk. I'll show Tommy around today." Newt offered quietly.

"Yah," Alby muttered. He glared at Minho as the door swung close behind him. "I've got some stuff to do anyway."

"Good that. Take a breather Alby. Everything's goin' back to normal." Newt insisted.

Alby stared at his food, "I don't think this shuck hole is ever gunna be the same again."

In his head he cursed the she-shank that had brought his order crumbling down.

""""""""""""

Everything had changed since Green left. No one was the same.

Or maybe they were... Thomas hadn't known them well before the girl had arrived. Alby was tired and grouchy, Newt was quiet and peaceful, Minho buried everything in a layer of aggression and sarcasm, and Gally was a prick to just about everyone.

Maybe things hadn't changed much.

But Thomas felt different. He didn't trust anyone. Not that he knew them well before Green, but he didn't have much reason to believe that the Gladers were bad people. Now he questioned everything he'd thought about them.

He spent a lot of his days with Chuck or Newt, and his down time with Newt or Minho. None of them talked much and he didn't mind it at all. If they did exchange a few words it was never about the girl they'd known for 12 hours, the events that had occurred that night or if there was any possibility she might still be alive. They mainly drank a lot of Gally's moonshine. At least Thomas and the others did. Minho usually just sat alone and made snide remarks when ever someone dared to approach him. He ran, mapped, ate, and nested in the corners of the Glade, carving lines into sticks and throwing rocks at the wall.

Things were definitely different. Tension hung in the air like a thick fog.

"Hey Tommy," Newt called. Thomas had been sitting at his hammock, waiting for Newt to come and get him after breakfast. He had one more day of working until the Keepers voted on where he'd go. Today he had Medjacks; apparently it was Newt's favorite post to help out with.

"Hey." Thomas muttered back to his quickly approaching friend.

"Ready for a day of good ol' farming?" Newt said with a playful grin.

Thomas shrugged, "I guess. I don't totally hate Zart."

Newt instantly frowned, he crossed his arms over his thin chest, "Don't say things like that Tommy."

"I was joking." Thomas scoffed.

"It's not a good time for jokes. People are still bloody sensitive about." Newt warned, "I don't want you starting a fight, 'specially not while Alby's around."

Thomas nodded, "Let's just get this over with."

"Oh cheer up Tommy boy! It'll be a good day." Newt said, giving Thomas a light punch in his shoulder. The smile retuned to Newt's face. He dug his heels into the dirt and turned sharply, motioning for Thomas to follow behind him as he made his way to the gardens.

""""""""""""""""""""""

Several Hours Later

""""""""""""""""""""""

Thomas wiped a thin layer of sweat from his brow. He glance up at the sky. Another hour and the sun would be well into setting; then he would finally get a shower and a chance to sit down.

"You really want to put your shoulders into it when you're moving those bales of hay." Zart told Thomas, "Here, watch me." The blond haired Keeper stuck his shovel into the ground with a satisfying crunch and flexed his shoulders. He swung his arms upwards and flung the bale into small metal wheelbarrow. It landed with a loud thunk."Get it?"

Thomas nodded. He really didn't see much of a difference between's Zart's methods and his own, but he didn't need another explanation.

"Good that. Wheel this over to Newt by the pens. You guys unload it and then head back here. We've got to check on the tomatoes and then we're done." He gave Thomas a sharp pat on the back.

Once again Thomas only offered a stiff nod. Maybe it was the exhaustion or the sweat, but nothing could compel him to reply to Zart. He seemed to be a great guy, well liked by the Gladers and respected as a Keeper. But he had voted to kill Green, and that was all Thomas thought about when he looked at him.

With a small grunt Thomas lifted one end of the wheelbarrow off the ground and shoved it forward. There was a small screeching sound of rusted metal scrapping against rusted metal, but the wheels gave in and soon he was pushing the bales of hay over to Newt.

"You're a natural Tommy." Newt laughed as Thomas hobbled closer.

"Yah, I was born to move hay." Thomas muttered in response.

Newt looked at him. For a second behind the smile and twinkling eyes there was something hard and sick and dark. "None of us were born for this." He spoke softly.

Thomas furrowed his brow. "Um yah… I guess. Let's just dump this. We're almost done." He said, eager to end the awkwardness.

"That's the spirit." Newt said as if he's snapped back to normal all of a sudden.

They had their fingers wrapped around the corners of the first bale when they saw him. Jeff, one of the few people Thomas still respected, was standing stalk still next to the Box. He stared at it wide eyed. Suddenly his gaze shifted to Thomas and Newt.

"What's he doing?" Thomas asked whispered, as if Jeff might be able to hear him.

Newt peered closer, "I have no bloody idea."

Thomas took a step towards the Medjack. He would've yelled 30 feet across the Glade, but something told him it wasn't the time to alert any of the others.

Something was wrong.

"C'mon." Newt said, grabbing Thomas's arm, "Let's just go make sure he's ok." But the tone of Newt's voice and the haste in his step told Thomas he too sense something very strange about the Medjack's behaviour.

They jogged over to the Box coming to a halt next to Jeff. The dark skinned boy just stared at the Box, unmoving, mouth agape.

"What are you doing?" Newt asked as they came closer.

Jeff looked at Newt and Thomas as if he hadn't even seen them coming. "I-I was walking to go get some clean knives from Fry when I noticed… the Box. It's here."

"What?" Newt demanded, shifting his attention to the metal holding crate. It hadn't returned since it took Green down a week ago. Why would it be back now with no alarm? "Where's the alarm?" Newt asked, reading Thomas's mind.

Jeff shrugged and shook his head, "No idea."

"Is there anything in it?" Thomas asked. He tired to look through the metal top, but the holes didn't reveal more than the dark metal ground below.

Once again a head shake.

"Well c'mon then, don't just stand there. Help me open it up." Newt ordered.

"It's empty Newt." Jeff said.

"Well it's here for a reason. We might as well open it up and see." Newt argued.

Jeff sighed, "Fine. But I've got to get going."

"Wait." Thomas ordered, "What if... what if the box is here for us? What if Gally really did k-kill Green in time and the box is here to take us down?"

Jeff frowned. "She didn't die though."

"Maybe trying to kill her was enough for the Creators." Thomas suggested. His heart beat a bit faster at the thought of freedom.

"Let's just open it and see for our selves rather than asking so many bloody questions." Newt bit.

Thomas and Jeff nodded. The three scanned around to make sure no eyes were on them, before Newt and Jeff grabbed the doors and slowly inched the Box open.

The two lids separated, revealing the cold metal floor Thomas remembered all too well. There was nothing but empty crates, metal and...

And something else. A figure appeared at the bottom. A girl. She was drowning in an oversized white t-shirt with the word WICKED printed on it in black and a pair of black cotton shorts that revealed a good bit of her pale, thin legs. Her hair was wet and brushed neatly behind her head. Her skin was void of dirt or bruises or blood. She wore no shoes.

She looked nothing like she did the last time he saw her. But it was her.

She wasn't moving, her skin wasn't the pink fleshy color it'd been before, it was pale and tight and cold. Her body was placed carefully in the box, legs straightened, arms folded over her stomach, eyes closed.

Thomas rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't having some sort of horrible hallucination.

Her body was placed carefully in the box.

Her were legs straightened.

Her arms were folded over her stomach.

Her eyes were closed.

She was in a coffin.

"It's Green." Jeff gasped.

Newt saw what Thomas saw. He stepped forward, looking at her warily. "I-is she…" He paused as if speaking the very word may make it true. He took a deep breath, "…dead?"


	10. And Maybe We Don't Want To Change

Newt stared at her body in disbelief. It was Green. It had to be Green.

Same ski slope nose, same freckled cheeks, same dark eyebrows and pale pink lips. She her hair was combed and brushed straight, her skin was clean, and she look like a 4 year old in the ridiculously large t-shirt and small shorts, but it was unmistakably her.

Well, it wasn't her. Not really. It was her body.

"Why… why did they send…" He paused, his eyes trembling over the body. Her body? Green? "…this to us? Why was there no alarm?" Jeff asked.

"Maybe they wanted us to bury her with her brother." Thomas said quietly. Newt glanced at his newfound friend. The boy had grown close to the body laying in the Box and the girl that used to posses it. Newt had really cared about her but he'd never gotten a chance to know her as well as he would've liked. Thomas, on the other hand, spent a whole night surviving with her. Tears formed in his blue eyes. Newt said nothing about it.

Thomas jumped down into the box next to her, being careful not to shake the ground too much as he fell. Newt leaned in for a better look as Tommy neared the lifeless body. There were no signs of breathing, no stir from her. She laid there like stuffed version of her self. Nothing about her resembled the old Green. The real Green was anything but lifeless.

"She looks so peaceful." Thomas muttered as he crouched next to her. His hand brushed her freckled cheek softly.

"C'mon Tommy. Say goodbye later. We don't want anyone else seeing her body." Newt said. Confusion, sadness and shock overwhelmed him. Why was she here? Why did WICKED send her? Was it some sort of test? Was it an apology? A tribute to the girl? Whatever it was it made Newt's stomach turn. The thought of her being there, entirely helpless this time, screamed trouble. The last thing they needed was Gally trying to cut up a teenaged girl's lifeless body.

Thomas nodded wordlessly and returned his attention to the girl. Carefully, the way one might treat a sibling or a close friend, Thomas cradled her head in one arm and tucked his other arm under her knees.

Like a bullet she shot up. She sucked in a deep breath with a huge, loud gasp. Her eyes fluttered open as she sputtered and coughed.

Newt's heart stopped.

Thomas nearly screamed.

Jeff dropped his side of the Box door.

""""""""""""""""

"Green!" Thomas cried as the girl awoke suddenly. She sputtered and coughed for several seconds before turning to meet his eyes. His heart skipped a beat as he stared into her green hues. God he missed her more than he could've thought.

"You're ok." He choked out as relief flooded over his body. Thomas leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her thin shoulders, yanking her towards him. But she jabbed a pale elbow into his ribcage hard.

"What the heck?" Thomas demanded, releasing the girl on reflex. "Green it's me. What's wrong?"

At first Green just stared at Thomas, shivering like a girl that had just been pulled from an ice cold bath. Her eyes were wide and sunken in to her skull as she refused to look away from the boy before her. Thomas just watched her watch him. The way she scanned him diligently, taking in every inch of his figure. She was calculating.

"Green?" Thomas asked quietly, leaning towards her.

Her pale blue lips parted ever so slightly, as if she might speak to him just for a moment. Her thin arm stretched out towards him hesitantly; a group of bony fingers came with in inches of nearly brushing Thomas's smooth cheeks.

Thomas sat entirely still, taking long, shallow breaths. He didn't dare make any sudden movements.

He felt so vulnerable as she observed him. He silently pleaded with her to say something, anything, that would make him feel normal.

Then like a lightning bolt her expression changed. Fear and anger zipped through her blood replacing the calm and collected look. Thomas backed away just before she shoved her hands into his chest as hard as she could. The push wast feeble. Sure, a week ago she wasn't Hulk, but she had a lot more force to her than just one wimpy shove. What had happened to her?

Green scrambled backwards, wincing in discomfort and continuing to suck in deep, unsatisfying breaths. She kicked at him and clawed at the walls but collapse to the floor with a pained whimper.

"Green, Green! It's me! Calm down, I'm here for you. I won't hurt you." Thomas tried. He held his hands out in caution as he took a step towards her, then lunged at her wrapping his arms tightly around her chest, pinning her to him.

"Get off me! Get off! Let me go!" She screeched, writhing against Thomas as if he was burning her with cigarettes.

"Tommy get 'er up here!" Newt hissed. He leaned over the box in anticipation.

Thomas didn't respond to Newt. He continued to hold Green to his chest.

"Stop fighting me. Stop. I'm not going to hurt you. Just stop." He spoke gently.

Slowly, the girl became limp in his arms, "Please. Just tell me where I am." She begged her assailant quietly. Thomas stared down at her. What did she mean? She'd been in the Glade just a week ago. He released her and turned her body toward him slowly.

"Green... do you know where you are?" He asked.

She shook her head.

"Do you know who I am? Or either of them?" He asked, pointing directly at Newt and then Jeff. His eyes returned to her.

She shook her head again. Tears welled in her eyes, "Should I?" She choked, pulling her knees into her chest. She winced in pain at the slight movement.

Thomas's mouth hung open. "U-uh no. I-its fine. Don't worry, you're fine Green."

"W-why are you calling me that?" She forced her self to say.

"That's your name." He told her.

She shook her head. "I don't know who you think I am, or what you've done to me, but my name is not Green. My name is Piper. Now let. Me. Go." She spat through grit teeth and rolling tears in an Oh-so-Green- kind of way.

Thomas's eyes searched hers. It was Green. The voice, the fighting, the way she emphasized points with pauses. It undeniably Green from the scrawny legs to the cold, bare feet, to the web of green in her masterpiece of an iris. But she didn't' recognize him at all.

Her eyes shifted in the most uncomfortable way. She was assessing her options. She was searching for an escape.

"Listen… um… Piper. Just come with us. Please. We can help you."

She didn't respond. Her eyes continued shifting.

"Tommy get her out of there!" Newt called.

"Green please."

"Stop calling me that!" Green screamed. She shoved him backwards hard. His shoulders crashed to the metal floor and he let out a pained groan.

"Wha—" He started but it was no use. She was already on her feet. She started at a run heading towards the wall, but her stride quickly turned to a wobbly jog then to a slow limp, and finally to a complete stop.

Thomas pushed himself up, "Green, are you ok? Sit down I'll help you out."

She turned to him, her face pale, her eyes dark, her hair slicked back into straight locks. her lips an unsettling shade of blue. "Don't… you dare… touch me." She panted just before her knees buckled and she collapsed to the ground.

"Thomas what's going?" Jeff asked.

Thomas ran to Green's body and slid down next to her, cradling her the way he had before. "She's unconscious." Thomas said with a shaky voice.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" Newt muttered to himself, "C'mon bring her up. Let's get her to the Homestead before anyone sees."

Thomas pushed himself up with a quiet grunt and carried the girl over to the wall. As Newt and Jeff hoisted out of the Box he could only watch in utter shock. She was back. She was alive. But she wasn't Green anymore.

WICKED had taken her from them once again.

Why did they send her back to them?

""""""""""""""""""

"Minho! Minho!"

 _All I ask for is one moment of shucking silence, is that too much?_ The Runner thought to himself. He'd spent the day out in the Maze, doing the same thing as always: running, mapping and coming up empty handed. He'd been unexplainably grumpy the last few days and on top of that all he was dead tired. The moment Minho saw Thomas sprinting towards him as he rested against the wall trying to catch his breath; he let out the biggest sigh he could muster along with an exaggerated eye roll.

"Give me a break Thomas, whatever it is you need to go take a lap and get back to me." Minho groaned to the overly energized greenie.

"No, Minho, you're going to want to see this." Thomas insisted.

"What the shuck could be so important? Just go get Alby or Newt. Those shanks love th—"

"It's Green. She's back."

Minho shot to his feet, he took two steps forward so they were nearly nose to nose."Watch it Slinthead," He snarled poking a thick finger in to Thomas's chest, "I don't want to joke about her."

"No Minho, she's back."

"Thomas I watched that shankette die."

"That's the thing. When she came back she was… lifeless. Not breathing, not moving, nothing. But then she just… woke up. I don't know Minho, I've never seen anything like it." Thomas panted.

"She was dead." Minho sputtered.

"We never saw her die. When the box went down she was still breathing."

"But that ride takes like a gazillion years, no way could she be alive."

Thomas shrugged. "If you don't believe me come see for yourself."

Minho's heart began racing, his head was suddenly filled with ridiculous thoughts. Maybe she was back. Maybe the girl was there for good. Maybe Minho could make her a Runner; she'd be a great Runner.

He stopped himself, not just any shank could become a runner, and certainly not a hotheaded girl. Why would he even consider that? He shook his head. He needed to get himself in check.

"You coming?" Thomas called back to him. The greenie had already begun running towards the homestead.

Minho followed and caught up easily. They kept a steady jog all the way to the house near the middle of the Glade. As they approached the door Thomas slowed down.

"She came about an hour ago. She woke up and then passed out again. She hasn't woken up since."

"Who knows about this?" Minho asked as he opened the door. He didn't even slow down for a second to make sure Thomas was still behind him, listening.

"Us, Jeff and Newt." He replied.

"Damn, you didn't even tell Alby? You shucks are really asking for it." Minho muttered.

"We're gunna tell him soon, we just wanted to see if she was even gunna live."

Minho shrugged as if it didn't matter to him, "Not worth making a big deal if the chick's gunna bite it." Inside, his heart throbbed at the thought of never speaking to her again. It was so weird; he expected to never see her again and he had accepted that. But now, with even a sliver of hope that he might walk into that room and lay eyes on Green, the thought of never talking to her or seeing her killed him all over again. As those realizations strung through his mind he silently scorned himself for being so soft. He made a mental note to keep his confusing feelings in check. After all, he wasn't one t get too sappy.

They stopped at the door to the Medjack's room. Minho's had shot to the cold metal door knob as soon as he was in range, but Thomas's shaky outburst stopped him mid squeeze."Wait. Minho, there's something I should tell you." Thomas said, studying his shoes.

The Runner turned to the greenie expectantly. "Well? What is it?" Minho demanded. His body was filled with adrenaline and excitement.

"Green… well… she doesn't…"

"C'mon Shank, I don't have all day."

Thomas bit his lip, "She doesn't remember anything. Not us, not the Glade, not the nickname we gave her, nothing."

Minho's face went white.

His bodies first instinct was to fill with blood boiling rage. How dare Thomas wait so long to tell him?

Then his heart contorted in pain. It felt heavy. His legs felt weak.

"What… what do you mean?" Minho forced himself to say in the most nonchalant voice he could manage.

Thomas wasn't fooled though. He had known this news would crush Minho and Minho hated himself for letting someone see such an obvious weakness. Thomas's pity felt more like a hard slap in the face than a warm blanket of sympathy.

"I'm sorry Minho." Thomas said shaking his head. "She doesn't remember any of us."

And just like that, his insides snapped. "Whatever. Let's just check to see if she's ok. I've got some mapping to do."

"""""""""""""""""

Soft evening light flooded through a single window illuminating everything around her like a dim halo. White sheets hugged her thin frame and slid softly against her skin as she shifted her self to an upright position. Her eyes danced through the small room that contained her.

Where was she?

She quickly flipped through the files in her memory for an answer but she came up empty handed. In fact she really couldn't find anything about… well about anything.

Piper. That was her name. She had arrived in a box earlier and was met by strange teenaged boys. That was extent of her memory.

Her heart began thumping rapidly in her chest. _There has to be more. Surely I remember more about my self then that!_

Her eyes darted over the room again. It was small, organized and well kept. Other than the bed she was laying in there was a counter with different medical instruments, a basin of water, several rolls of cloth and bandages, and a couple of wooden chairs scattered through out the room.

"You're awake."

She nearly jumped out of the bed as her eyes landed on a pair of teens standing in the corner across from her. How had she not seen them before?

"How are you feeling?" The dark skinned one asked warily.

"Where am I?" She demanded.

"Please, just answer my question first. I need to know if you're ok. Then I'll tell you everything."

She glanced at the blonde standing next to him. He had his arms crossed and his eyes glue to her. Concern masked his face. Concern for her well being?

Piper took a deep breath, "I-I feel fine. Just a headache."

The dark skinned boy nodded, "Ok. That's good."

"Where am I?" She repeated.

The blond took a step forward. "You're in the Glade." He said in a thick accented voice.

Piper glared at him. "Thanks. That helps a lot." She scoffed with an eye roll.

"Ok, fair enough. Let me explain a little better. This is the Glade." He motioned his arms towards the window. "For two years now a new person has come up in the box just like you. We come up without any personal memories, only our names."

"Who put us here?"

The blond haired boy shrugged, "We call them the Creators. We don't know much about them."

Piper looked down at her body. She was drowning in a white t-shirt with "short-sleeves" that reached her elbows and he legs were covered by soft white blankets. Her skin was pale and freckled and entirely foreign to her.

"Why am _I_ here?" She asked quietly.

"We don't know Green."

"And why are you calling me that? You all did it earlier and—"

The door to the room swung open revealing the blue-eyed boy she saw when she woke up and a new teen. He was tall and Asian, and when his eyes met hers he stopped mid motion.

"Who… are these people? Who are any of you guys?" Piper demanded.

"I'm Newt, This is Jeff, and these two are Thomas and Minho."

Piper pulled the covers around her legs tightly. The presence of so many strong males made her feel incredibly vulnerable. She scanned the room for some sort of weapon.

Minho wore a hard expression. Nothing about his was comforting. "She doesn't remember us?" He looked Jeff up and down expectantly.

Jeff shook his head, "Not a clue."

"Why would I remember you?" Piper asked.

"What's your name?" Minho demanded, taking a few steps towards her.

Piper shrank back into her pillow. Every instinct in her body told her to with hold information from the tall Asian boy... but she had told the others her name; there was no use in keeping her identity hidden from him. "Piper." She said with caution. "Now tell me why I should remember you."

He turned quickly, ignoring her all together. "Shuck this. I'm getting Alby." The boy cursed to the others.

"Tell me why I should remember you!" Piper cried to him, but not a single ounce of attention was being paid to her from any of the boys. She considered getting out of bed but the very thought of moving made her stomach turn.

"Minho you can't do that. We need to make a plan." Thomas insisted.

"Yah? I have a plan. Tell Alby and then get back to life as usual."

"So you're just going abandon her?" Newt asked Minho harshly.

Minho looked at Newt sideways. "I'm not abandoning anyone. That's not Green."

"Who is Green?" Piper yelled.

"Besides," Minho continued, "Alby's got a right to know. What are we gunna do, hide her forever?"

"She might not be Green but she is a person who needs our help. Alby won't know how to handle this. We should at least be on the same bloody page before we going tearing around the Glade." Newt's voice was steady and compelling. It was a shock to Piper that anyone could resist doing what he said.

"Why do I need your help? What's going to happen to me?" Piper asked; she was starting to get scared… and pissed. Her brain was threatening to shut off. More then anything at that moment she was craving sleep.

"I think you 3 got this covered." Minho spat.

"You're better than this." Newt said with distaste.

Hurt flickered over the boy's face for a prolonged moment. He bit his lip, "I've got a job to do. I'll see you shanks later." Minho muttered before stomping out of the room.

There was a moment of silence before Thomas spoke up. "I'll make sure he doesn't get Alby." Thomas said before sprinting out the door after him.

Piper stared at the remaining boys. "What. The. Fuck. Who's Green? And Why do I need your help?" Her breathing was fast and unsteady. Her head swam in a wave of exhaustion. The conversation had done nothing but pull her deeper into confusion.

"You need to rest Piper. We'll explain this all later." Jeff said, walking towards her and forcing her back to a lying position.

"Tell me now." She ordered, struggling against his hands. Her eyes felt heavy.

"You'll know everything in a couple of hours. You need to heal now." Newt said. His voice seemed far away. It was so distant and soft.

"Why… can't I know now?" The blankets hugged her gently. They coaxed her into the perfect position.

"Shhh, rest now." Jeff said.

"W-who is Green?" She whispered before the darkness invited her in.

""""""""""""""""""""""""

To: Ava Paige, Chancellor

From: Assistant Director Janson

Subject: Fate of Ms. Richards and Decisions made in your absence

A lot has happened since you left for Colorado. On your orders we sent the hostile guard, Ms. Piper E. Richards, into Glade A to observe Killzone spikes of the subjects and rid her from our custody. She'd become threatening, unwilling to work, and violent towards her co-workers. I believe that all of us agreed to make her another test for the boys.

However, despite our every prediction, Ms. Richards managed to survive her allotted 12 hours and return to us in a nearly terminal condition. The medics and I agreed that we would try to save her life every way possible because of her ability to beat the odds and survive. I think you will agree when I say that there is more to the young woman than meets the eye.

We were able to stabilize her vital signs and heal her injuries using WICKED advanced Med-Tech. But, upon returning to consciousness, Ms. Richards immediately became extremely hostile and delirious. She was sedated and the results of her 12 hours were assessed.

We found that her presences created a huge rush of dopamine in the predicted top candidates and testosterone spikes directly in the Killzone of those who are yet to be assed for the value. With out your consent, I made a snap decision to chase this change in hormone level and wipe Ms. Richards' memory before returning her to the Glade this evening, October 12, at 5:34. I know my actions were rash and possibly reckless, but I am willing to stake my reputation and career on the importance of her presence in the Killzone mapping. She is more important to our studies than original anticipated. Though she is entering the trial's later with little intellectual exercise or testing, she is very physically fit and has great survival instincts. I believe she could be the key to Group A's Killzone mapping and a step closer to the Cure.

Of course Group B will be compensated as well upon your return.

Forgive my haste,

A.D. Janson

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Hi! I hope you guys liked this chapter! Poor Piper/Green is so confused. And Poor Minho, this is what happens when guys are forced to face their feelings am I right ladies? XD, just kidding. Anyway, thanks so much for the wonderful reviews and all the support. I changed the display image of this story to give you guys a better impression of what Green looks like. She's not based off the girl in the picture, but they have similar features. Please continue to review! I'm blown away by your guys's support, seriously it is so motivational so thank you all so much. Oh and more will be revealed about what happened to Green in while she was back at WICKED later on so don't worry about that. Ok let me know what you think!


	11. I Got Guns In My Head and They Won't Go

Hi everyone, I'm so sorry for the wait. This is a short chapter, I wanted to add more but I suffered a lot of writers block on this one. Hopefully nd update will be out soon. Oh, also, when it's Green/Piper's POV then she will refer to her self as Piper, but the guys still see her as Green... for now. Let me know what you think, please! REVIEW PLEASE :)! Ok, on with the story... leaving off from Minho's little storm out.

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"So that's it, huh? You're over it, just like that? Thomas called as he stumbled out of the Homestead. Minho was a few yards ahead of him, storming towards the Map room with anger in each step. "Minho, I'm talking to you." Thomas tried again, but the Runner made no efforts to acknowledge his words; not even a glance backwards to recognise Thomas's existence.

The lack of loyalty was beyond infuriating. How could Minho abandon her so willingly?

Thomas growled in frustration. With clenched fists he and a subtle rage burning with in him he began jogging towards the Keeper. "You can't ignore me for ever."

"She's not my problem anymore Thomas." Minho finally spoke through grit teeth. "I've got an important job to do."

Thomas threw his hands up in the air with a groan, letting them flop to his side. "C'mon man, she's our friend. She needs our help. I'm sure people aren't going to be thrilled about her arrival. She's gunna need support."

"So give it to her." Minho replied with out turning around. He continued to walk briskly towards the Map room.

Thomas stopped. At that moment he could've punched Minho in the face. He wanted to scream at the Keeper for being so selfish. "How can you just shut her out?" Thomas demanded.

"I'm not 'shutting' anyone out." Minho replied with a shrug,"I just don't have time to be on 'Piper' duty." He spat out the word "Piper" like it was poison on his tongue. Even from a position behind him Thomas could see that Minho grimaced as he said it.

 _Oh God. Minho isn't a jerk... he's just emotionally unavailable_ Thomas thought as if it was the most obvious thing ever. Of course Minho wasn't a heartless "slinthead" lacking even a single speck of loyalty. Throwing names or punches wasn't going to solve anything, Thomas wanted to hit him where it really hurt; the once place that Minho kept hidden from everyone else.

"You liked her, didn't you?" He called.

Minho froze mid step.

Thomas instantly regretted his words. He got the sense that Minho didn't lose fights often and was a big fan of starting them. And quiet honestly, Thomas didn't think he could take the guy one on one.

"What'd you say Shuckface?" Minho hissed bitterly. He turned his whole body to face Thomas, puffing out his chest and clenching his fists.

Thomas swallowed hard. He couldn't show any signs of backing down. He had to do this for Green. "I said you liked her. Didn't you?" Did Thomas _really_ think Minho liked Green? It was possible. No doubt he was at least physically attracted to her. She was undeniably pretty and being the first girl Minho had seen in several years she had no competition in his eyes. But was there anything more? Thomas wasn't sure, but he needed to get Minho's attention some how.

"Thomas, you klunk brained, shuckfaced, moron you don't know one lick of what's good for ya do you? You're just begging for a good ol' smack in the face, is that it?" Minho spat, stomping towards Thomas. "I used to think you were kind of brave but now I see you're just shucking stupid. I knew her for _12 shucking hours._ We were strangers. I helped her and then she left. She's back now. Big whoop."

Thomas took a step forward himself to show that, if nothing else, Minho didn't scare him. "So why are you acting like a huge jerk? Seems to me like you've got your feelings hurt because she doesn't remember your name." He accused.

Minho rolled his eyes, "Oh grow up Thomas. I didn't like her and I'm not acting like a jerk. This isn't preschool where I pull some chick's hair to get her to play with me." He stuck a finger into his own chest, "I'm a busy dude. The Greenies aren't my problem and she's just another Greenie now. Let Alby deal with her."

"She isn't just another Greenie! No one else is going to treat her like one!" Thomas was beginning to brim with anger. Why couldn't he get Minho to understand?! Green wasn't going to be safe in the Glade, not without people to back her up. Gally and his goons had been begging for revenge since the moment she went down the box."We can help her remember us." He added, lowering his voice.

Minho smirked, folding his arms over his chest. "You go deal with her. Maybe she can be _your_ girlfriend then."

Thomas frowned. "I thought you were a better person then this Minho. I don't understand why you're acting like such a slinthead."

"Yah, well I don't understand a lot of things. Deal with it shank." He spat as he turned back towards the Mapping hut.

"Green needs you." Thomas said quietly.

"She's Piper now." Minho responded with the same sound of utter disgust on his tongue.

Thomas sighed. He was done trying to convince Minho to be a good person. If this was his decision then so be it. "Whatever, I thought you would be happy that she was back."

"Wait. Who is back?" A thick voice asked from behind Thomas. Thomas turned, nearly smashing into a tall boy. As their eyes met he swallowed hard staring into the face of the last person he wanted to see right then.

Minho stopped walking away.

"Oh… hey Alby." Thomas trailed.

Minho was suddenly shoulder to shoulder with Thomas. "We were just talking about a dream this shuck keeps having." Minho said quickly. Sweat was already beginning to pool on Thomas's forehead.

The leader looked at both of the skeptically, trying to work out why the pair was acting so strange.

He shook his head, "Tell me what's going on. You said 'she's back', who were you talking about?"

Minho shrugged, "No one in particular. Just don't worry about it, alright?"

Thomas's eyes flicked up to the Homestead... maybe that was his mistake. Maybe it was the sweat or the poorly put together story or the fact the Minho and Alby had been fighting all week, but Alby pressed further.

"Stop fooling around you two. Tell me what's up."

Minho sighed, Thomas studied his shoes.

He looked up at Alby slowly, "You're not going to be happy."

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"How 'bout I go get us some grub?" Jeff asked Newt with a toothy grin. With Green asleep it seemed unnecessary to have both of them watching her. Of course, as a Medjack, Jeff probably should've been the one to stay but he was going a bit stir crazy. Newt could sense a bit of cabin fever brewing in Jeff.

"Good that. I'm bloody starving." Newt smiled in reply. "Take your time." He looked down at the girl lying peacefully on the bed next to him. Her golden locks were combed carefully behind her head. His lips couldn't help but upturn at the corners. Finally the girl was getting a wink of peace.

Jeff scurried out of the room, leaving Newt and Green alone in peace. The new silence was an odd thing to Newt's ears.

"Look like it's just you and me." He muttered to Green. Of course she didn't respond.

Slowly he pushed himself from the foot of her bed and scanned the room. It would be best to put away anything that she could us as a weapon; Green was no stranger to attacking people. Newt quickly stuffed a couple of clean syringes into a small box of bandages.

Hopefully Jeff wouldn't be to long. If someone were to come barging through that door Newt would be caught read handed; he didn't want to have to explain it all on his own. How long would it before Clint returned to take inventory for the night? Or some one came in with a cut? He couldn't protect her from Gally or Graham without help.

WAM! The door of the medic room swung open so fast Newt's heart nearly jumped out of his chest. He instinctively backed up to shield Green from the intruder.

Newt's panicked eyes met Alby as the dark skin leader barged into the small room with Minho and Thomas right on his heels.

"Where is she?" Alby demanded.

"Alby keep your voice down." Newt ordered in his thickly accented voice. He stepped towards Alby and pressed his palms into his chest, stopping him from moving any closer to Green.

"Keep my voice down? Did a shucking griever prick ya Newt? You're hiding a shuck girl in the Medjack's room! What did you expect was going to happen? You could raise her in here until the damn Maze solved itself?"

"Slim it Alby, you don't understand." Minho said.

"Oh really? I don't understand? I don't think _you_ guys understand how serious this is! What do ya think everyone else is gunna say when they find out she's back? And that you hid her?" He rubbed the bridge of his nose as he paced back and forth across the room.

"That's exactly it." Newt insisted in an attempt to justify their actions, "What if they attacked her Alby? She came up a few hours ago completely unconscious. We thought she was dead! If someone else had been there and decided to go ballistic on her she would've been a goner. We wanted to keep her hidden until we all came to an agreement on how we would address the others."

Alby's anger dropped, "and you didn't think to tell me because you I assume I'm one of the bad guys now, right?"

"Alby we were going to tell you. It's just…"

"We were on our way to find you when you found us." Thomas piped up.

Newt cringed at the obvious lie. Alby wasn't dumb and Thomas wasn't a good liar.

Still, Alby shook it off; his attention moved to Green. He stepped past Newt and towards the girl placed neatly on the clean Medjack bed.

"Shuck. She's really here." Alby whispered.

"She doesn't remember a thing though Alby. She's been calling herself Piper." Newt said.

Alby looked up, both eye brows raised to thick black arches, "Really?"

"Not a shucking clue." Minho spat with venom in his words.

Newt could see his friend's mind racing. He was at a loss to. If they told the Gladers there could be some sort of riot. If they said nothing then she would need to be kept a secret. How would they ever be able to integrate her into their world after everything that happened? Half of the boys would feel to guilty to look at her and the other half would hate her too much to look at her. Of course a human being wasn't exactly and easily kept secret either. They could stash her away somewhere in the deadheads, but who knows how much longer they'll be in the Glade?

Alby turned sharply on his heels, "We have a gathering tomorrow night to pick out Thomas's new job." Alby said throwing Thomas a glance, "We'll tell the Keepers then and let them decide. Until then I'm keeping you two on Green duty. Don't let anyone catch a look at 'er. Good that?" Ably said, looking to Newt and Thomas.

"Good that." Thomas and Newt repeated in quiet unision.

"And Minho, I don't want you sneaking off to come see the shankette instead of doing your job tomorrow." Alby bellowed.

"Trust me, you don't have to worry about that." The Runner replied in a low voice. He too turned on his heels and stormed out of the room once again, leaving with out so much as a backwards glance.

"What's his problem?" Alby asked.

Thomas shrugged and Newt studied his shoes.

"Whatever. Just keep her hidden." Alby grumbled before exiting the room himself.

Newt glance down at Green. "I just hope she makes this easy for us."

Thomas nodded, "Ya, me too."

Newt bit his lip. She was really back. His eyes lingered on her closed lids.

He was going to protect her.

 _I promise._


	12. Spirits In My Head and They Won't Go

Hi! I am actually really excited about this chapter. Thanks for the reviews last chapter, I'm hoping for a few more! Let me know what you think :).

Alby took a deep, long breath. He felt the air enter his body; he felt it swirl through his brain and blow the ball of bad feelings away. He held onto the air tightly as he entered the Gathering Hut. In side was Chaos. Some one was chucking food, there was a loud and constant buzz of conversation, a few outbursts of laughs and a large cloud of stink radiating off of the group of boys.

He stood in silence. In a few minutes the Gathering would begin. Alby couldn't anticipate how anyone would react to the news of Green's return. He didn't even want to think about that yet. Thomas was first. They could relax with the easy stuff.

"Alby," Newt spoke from behind Alby's shoulder. "I just spotted Minho coming in from the doors. He should be in any second."

"Good that." Alby muttered.

A hand covered Alby's shoulder gently. Newt's fingers squeeze softly, "Everything is going to be fine."

Alby turned to face his long time friend, "This isn't going to be a fun talk Newt."

"These buggin' gatherings are never fun." Newt grinned.

Alby couldn't help but chuckle, "Remember when Fry hit Zart with that wooden spoon just 'cuz he thought the Trackhoes were eatin' the veggies on their breaks."

"Bloody hell Fry was pissed." Newt laughed.

"Ah, good times." Alby smiled. He took another deep breath, "Is Green ok?" He asked, switching back to his serious mode.

Newt nodded, "The little shank hasn't woken up since last night. Jeff's lookin' over her now."

"That's good." Alby said genuinely.

"I don't know what WICKED did to 'er Alby, but it wasn't pretty. Jeff says she's recovering from quite a few serious injuries, broken bones and concussions and what not."

Alby frowned. For a moment he couldn't help but wonder what the poor kid had done to deserve all of this?

Minho stumbled into the shack with a tin cup of water in his hand and a beat red face. Sweat glistened over his forehead.

"Anything today?" Alby asked out of habit.

"Not a thing." Minho replied… probably out of habit as well. He wobbled over to an empty seat and plopped himself down with an exaggerated groan.

"Alright then," Alby cleared his throat, "Listen up shanks."

His booming voice sent a hush over the rowdy group of Keepers. Everyone looked to him.

"We've got two things on the agenda today so I want this to move along quickly. Speak when it's your turn and not a peep when it's not, got it?"

"Good that." A few Keepers muttered.

"First of all, Thomas. The Greenbean has tried out each job, now he needs a permanent one. You all know the shuck drill. Any one who want's him raises their hand. You want him you have to give your reason. Then we vote. So, who want's him?"

Thomas himself was in the room, sitting in the back behind a few of the Keepers. Alby had warned him to stay quiet. The Greenie was a loud to be in the room and give a vote, but he wasn't supposed to pipe up.

At first no one raised their hand. Alby rolled his eyes at Thomas's incompetence. Not a single taker? He must've been a klunk worker.

"I guess we could take 'im." Clint said raising his hand in the air.

Then Frypan, "I liked the little guy."

Finally, Minho's thick arm rose to the air, "I want him."

Everyone gasped. The room froze.

"Minho... what are ya talkin' bout?" Alby breathed, taking a step forward.

The Runner met the eyes of nearly everyone in that room, including Thomas. "Not only do I think Thomas should be a Runner, but I think Thomas should take my spot as Keeper of the Runners."

Silence filled the air as all eyes bore into Minho. Thomas's mouth dropped like a rock.

"That's ridiculous!" Gally cried, standing up and turning to Newt and Alby. "He should be kicked off of the council for saying something so shucking stupid!" The builder stuck out a finger towards Minho who sat with his arms cross, staring out the door like nothing new had happened.

Then Hell broke loose. A few Keepers clapped—like Frypan who began clamoring for a vote—while others shook their head adamantly. No one opposed it as loudly as Gally but everyone was shocked. Thomas buried his head in his hands.

"Slim it nice and calm!" Newt cried. No one really paid much attention to the second in command.

"SHUT YOUR HOLES!" Alby demanded. Silence fell like a spell over the boys once again. "You all are acting like a hoard of babies. Get it together! We're adults here. Everyone is gunna speak when it's there shuck turn, clear?"

Gally took a seat, muttering about morons under his breath, but for the most part everyone remained quiet.

"Minho, care to explain what the shuck you're saying."

The Runner sighed as if justifying his words were a chore; he was clearly exhausted. "All I'm saying is that back a couple of weeks ago I saw Thomas out in the Maze. I know we're not supposed to talk about what happened with _you-know-who_ but we are allowed to talk about what Thomas did. I spend a lil' too much time wondering if that kid is brave or just shucking stupid, but he's got the right amount of both to be a Runner. I've never seen someone so loyal to their friends." Minho's eyes flicked to Thomas. The Greenie couldn't help but smile and Alby wondered if it was some sort of apology for the fight he's walked in on the day before. "He didn't panic or cry or turn tail and run the way I would've—er… um… _have_ I guess, in the past. The dude kept it together, exactly the way a Runner should."

"We get it, Tommy here is a lucky shank." Gally snapped.

"No Gally you worthless slinthead, you don't get it! You've never been out there minus the time you were to shucking stupid to stop yourself from getting stung. Thomas can get us out of here! He's our best chance."

"He's probably not even on our side!" Gally shouted.

"What does that mean?" Thomas replied loudly.

"Ever since that shank showed up here everything has changed. I don't know how to explain it but…"

"There's nothing to explain Gally! You're just a sissy who's too scared to admit that this guy might be better than you!" Minho yelled, sticking a finger at Thomas, "Well guess what, he is! He's better than all of us. He deserves to be the Keeper."

"Alright enough!" Alby boomed, "Both of you shut it. Minho, no matter what Thomas isn't gunna be the Keeper but we can vote. There 3 nomination, med-jack, cook or runner."

"This is jacked! Alby c'mon, you really think we should consider some one like him for a Runner?" Gally demanded.

"I think you should sit down and vote Gally. I'm sick of your outbursts." Alby snapped.

"I swear to the Creators he's no good."

"I'm gunna break your shuck neck if you keep blabbing on Gally, right after I snapped your skinny little twig arms." Minho sneered from his seat. Alby heard Thomas snicker from his place in the back.

"I shucking swear Minho—" Gally burst, jumping up out of his seat. Frypan shot up to stop the Builder from pouncing on Minho.

"Enough! This meeting is a bloody mess!" Newt yelled, "We still have another matter to discuss. It's time for a vote. All those in favor of Thomas being a cook raise your hand."

Gally's face twisted in rage. "I vote for the most popular option that isn't a Runner."

"Then you're not voting for a Cook." Alby grumbled. It was true, not even Frypan raised his hand for that option.

"All those in favour of Thomas being a Medjack?"

About 5 of the Keeper's raised their hand, including Winston and Gally. Thomas seemed hesitant. He surely knew the dangers of going into the Maze. Alby considered raising his hand for Thomas to be a Medjack. The Glade only had two and Thomas was a smart guy. Plus, Alby did have a slight, unexplained distrust for the boy. But, as he stared at the Greenie he realized that Minho could be right. Thomas was possibly their best chance for freedom from the Maze.

"And for the Runners?"

Everyone else raised their hand. Newt, Alby, Frypan, Clint, Minho, Thomas, and Zart.

"Then it's settled," Newt said with a grin, "You start tomorrow Tommy."

A couple of the Keepers cheered, Frypan patted Thomas on the back with a toothy smile. Gally spat quiet insults to the Keeper of the Baggers. Alby stood silently, watching the others congratulate the new Runner. In his mind there was no hope for escape, and something told him Thomas wasn't the key to solving the Maze.

Some one else was.

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Minho was so shucking tired he swore he could've passed out right there in the Gathering hut. Gally always seemed to tucker the Runner out, so mix it with a long day of working and an hour long talk and Minho was just about a breathing corpse. Still, getting Gallys panties in a knot did always make him feel better.

As everyone settled back to there seats a feeling of pride washed over Minho. Thomas would be a good Runner, and Minho wasn't going to let anyone convince him otherwise.

But the good feelings didn't last for long. The mood shifted, at least, Alby's did. Talking about Green wouldn't be easy. Everyone was already riled up from the vote, the next part could potentially start a war in the Glade.

"Alright, moving on to our second piece of business." Alby said. He opened his mouth to speak but something was stopping him. Fear, disgust, anger, guilt, who knew, but for whatever reason the Leader's tongue wouldn't so much as form a coherent word.

Newt stepped forward, "This isn't easy and most of all, this isn't anyone's fault. Before we say this we need to remember that all of us are on the same team."

"What's going on you guys?" Clint asked, the Med-jack had been given "field duty". He hadn't even been in the medic's room since last night.

Newt swallowed hard. "Green's back." Once again, dead silence. Newt looked around expectantly, waiting for an outburst but everyone just stared. The second in command continued, "She came back last night. She was unconscious and barely breathing. Now she's in the Med-jack's room asleep."

"So she's alive?" Frypan asked in a breathy voice.

Newt nodded, "Sure is. But the girl doesn't have a bloody clue where she is. She's been calling her self Piper and can't remember us for the life of her."

"Did you tell her who you were and everything that… happened?" Winston asked.

"No, just out names. She's just like a normal greenie."

"We can't let her stay here." Gally spat, "She's brought us nothing but trouble. The little shank is going to tear us apart."

"The only thing here tearing us apart is you Gally!" Minho shouted, shooting up from his seat. "You'll ascuss anything with a heart beat. But lemme tell ya something nad I want ya to listen real close you mouth breathing shank," Minho spat, stepping so close to Gally that he could smell his damp breath, "This is no one's fault except the jacked shanks that put us in here. She's sufferin just like us."

Gally stood up, pushing Minho backwards with the palm of his hand, "She's no good. Even if she's 'on our side' how is she going to feel when she remembers what happened?"

"Oh you mean when you tried to murder her with a shucking kitchen knife."

Gally took a step forward. "Yah, I do mean that." He spat.

"Could you two please sit your butts down?" Alby demanded. "This is a serious problem. And like Newt said, we're on the same team for this."

Minho turned and sauntered back to his seat. Gally lowered himself slowly.

"I don't think we should remind her. I mean, if she doesn't know what happened then why remind her?" Frypan said, "We're good people. We were acting out of desperation. There's no reason for her to hate us if she's here for good this time."

A couple of Keeper's muttered agreements.

"What if she remembers?" Clint asked.

"It's been two years and I haven't remembered a damn thing." Alby muttered.

"We were all going to 'forget' about it anyway. I say we just treat her like a normal Greenie." Frypan said.

"Alright, so the votes are for not telling her… or banishing her for no reason." Newt said, shooting daggers at Gally as if he was daring him to speak out again.

"All in favor for not reminding Green—or um, Piper from now on?" Alby asked.

Minho wanted to protest. It felt wrong to hold some one's identiy from them. But telling her would only bring unnecessary pain. Reluctantly he raised his hand and joined the others. Unanimously they decided to remind her of nothing.

She would be Piper from that point forward.

"Well, that was surprisingly easy." Alby muttered. "Head to the kitchen's everyone. It's time to eat."

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"Hey! Minho!" some called across the Glade. The Runner stopped on his way to the showers. He'd started taking his while everyone was eating, that was the best time to find some peace.

Minho turned to see Jeff, "Hey, what's up?" He asked as Jeff jogged over to him.

"I hear it was one Hell of a gathering." Jeff grinned.

"Sure was. I must've threatened to kill Gally a dozen times."

"Ha, that shank deserves it." Jeff laughed, "Listen, I know you're not feeling to happy about the whole 'Green being here' thing but I really need to go get some food. Could you just watch her for a few minutes? She hasn't been moving all night. It should be a breeze."

Minho took a step back, "I dunno Jeff, I—"

"C'mon man, do me a solid, I'm starving here and I really don't trust anyone else to look over her."

Minho sighed, "Fine, just be quick alright?"

"It'll just be a minute." The medjack smiled before darting towards the kitchen.

Minho altered his course towards the Homestead reluctantly. He drug his feet all the way to the Medic's room and opened the door slowly. In his mind he told himself to not even look at her. It would be easier for him that way. Out of sight out of mind. But as the door swung open Minho couldn't look away. His eyes only widened in horror.

Green was in her bed seizing and crying out in pain. Her whole body shook and contorted, her arms flailed wildely and tears poured from her eyes. The sounds coming from her throat were raw and desperate.

Minho forgot everything. He ran to her bed and grabbed her hand tightly.

"Green! Shhhh, you're ok. Piper." He tried in an attempt to sooth her.

Then it hit him, he'd seen this before, he's seen Green act this way when she was stung. She had been fighting against the poison. What was she fighting now?

Suddenly her eyes burst open. Her vibrant green hue's met Minho's. There was something there, something he hadn't seen in her since she returned… recognition.

"Minho? Minho is that you?" She sobbed through grit teeth.

"Yah…Green? Are you ok?"

Relief flooded her pained face, "You're ok. You're ok." A smile broke across her tear ridden face, "I-I was so worried about you guys. I-I didn't know wha—AGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" She cut her self of with a blood-curdling scream. Her eyes clenched shut and her body began to shake.

Minho squeezed her hand tightly, "Green you're ok. I've got you. Just tell me what's happening? Talk to me. Please."

She force down a deep breath and opened her eyes, "I-I need to t-tell you s-somehting."

"Ok, Green you can tell me. Please. I'm so confused." He admitted.

"You n-need to make me remember." She spat out.

"What?" Minho asked.

"AAAAAAAHHHHH!" Green cried again.

"Green!" Minho shouted. Seeing her in so much pain… it made his heart ache.

Finally she mustered her last ounces of energy and spoke through the pain as best she could. Her face was pinched and her words were strained but she managed to get it out, "W-WICKED doesn't know… how big of a m-mistake it was… to put me in here. I-I know this is all… hard… but I n-need you to t-trust me. H-help me remember… who I am. I-I… can save us." Then she let out the most pained scream that Minho had ever heard. It was wet and desperate. It was begging for freedom from the pain. Her body trembled under the strain. Her hand gripped Minho's so tightly that her nails drew blood from his skin.

Then it stopped.

Her body relaxed. Her breaths slowed. Her eyes opened softly.

She looked at him, still grasping him tightly, but the recognition was gone.

"W-why are you holding my hand?" Piper asked.


	13. I Spend A Lot Of Nights On The Run

So sorry everyone, this chapter is long over due. My life is crazy right now and my schools soccer season just started so I have basically no free time. Hope you all like this chapter, it was on of the most fun to write so far. Let me know what you think and please please give me feedback! I appreciate the support from everyone!

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Her whole body felt like it'd been hit by a bus. Like it smacked into her body and then backed up over her just to make sure it cracked her chest. Her muscles ached and her head swam in a pool of thick, warm syrup. Her eyes sagged with exhaustion.

"W-why are you holding my hand?" Piper demanded.

"Huh?" Minho asked. He looked down at their intertwined fingers as if he too was just noticing it. At the sight he recoiled his arm instantly and looked up at Piper with a look of extreme confusion."Green..." He started.

Piper let out a frustrated sigh, "Can we please not do this again? I'm too tired to play along. It's Piper, ok?"

"Uh... yah. Sorry. Do... do you remember what just happened?"

"You mean when I woke up to find you holding my hand like 5 seconds ago? Yes, unfortunately I do."

Minho's expression turned to melancholy. His mouth turned to a deep frown, "Yah, that's what I meant."

Piper rolled her eyes at his incompetence. She shoved her hands against the bed and pushed herself up. Her head felt like it'd been stuffed with bricks. "God, how long was I out."

"About 24 hours I think." Minho replied quietly.

"24 hour huh? Jeez, why do I still feel like shit?" Piper asked him, pulling her knees into her chest.

"Um… I don't know. Listen, we need to talk."

He was acting like an idiot who had just seen a ghost. Piper was getting really tired of these guys. She'd never been so confused in her life. For whatever reason she had a feeling she wasn't a b-i-t-c-h, but the hunger and the exhaustion and the confusion and the band of moronic teenaged boys wasn't exactly helping her "go with the flow" attitude.

She just stifled a groan, "Can I at least get something to eat? I'm starved."

"In a second. First, I want you to tell me everything you remember."

Piper rolled her eyes. _Man, this guy is dumb._

""""""""""

"Ok, for the last time, I remember waking up, seeing that guy Thomas, kicking his ass even when I felt like a corpse," she said with a smirk, "Then sleeping some more, meeting your sorry butt, and then a lot more sleeping. Then I woke up holding your hand. Now can I please eat?" Piper begged.

It must've been 10 o'clock at night. Surely no one else was awake. The skinny black kid, Jeff, had come in to "relieve Minho of his shift" but Minho had told him he'd watch her for the night.

Piper of course rolled her eyes at the last part, but Minho was her key to eating so she continued to repeat her memories and play nice, even though she felt like socking him in the mouth.

"Yah, I'll make you a sandwich. C'mon." Minho grumbled. He pushed himself to his feet and slunk to the door. Piper followed him eagerly out of the small room. It was the first time she's consciously been outside and she was determined to take everything.

The wet grass tickled her bare feet as she glided into the crisp night air. Her eyes widened at the sight of everything around her. Even in the dead of the night she could tell it was a fully functioning society run entirely by teenaged boys… it was a miracle. Well-built buildings were sprinkled across the freshly cut fields; trees loomed in one corner while another held clumps of animals grazing silently. A few lone boys walked sleepily to their hammocks but no one paid them any mind.

"It's beautiful." Piper whispered.

Minho shrugged, "Yah, I guess."

"You don't think so?" She asked.

"I guess I just stopped looking for beauty in things a while ago." Minho admitted.

Piper grinned, "You should start looking again buddy. With out finding beauty in things you're not living… you're just surviving. Now, where's this sandwich?"

Minho stared at her blankly for a second, "Um… over here, c'mon." He lightly placed his hand on the small of Piper's back to guide her towards the largest building in the Glade.

"Here you go," Minho said as he opened the door, "Welcome to the kitchens."

"Holy Hell. Food. Now." Piper ordered. She was practically foaming at the mouth. She attempted to burst through the small doorframe but Minho stuck his arm out to hold her back. "Hey!" She cried. Her eyes grasped for the food.

Minho couldn't help but chuckled, "Sit your butt down. Fry would kill me if he found out I let a Greenie in the back room." He pointed to a seat among one of the many tables.

"Please hurry." Piper begged.

"Calm your self girlie. I'll go as fast as I can."

He disappeared into a back room leaving Piper alone.

Piper took a hesitant step into the kitchen; her eyes scanned the area carefully. The whole place was eerily familiar. She had an unbelievably strong feeling that there was a window in the back room and an undeniably attraction to a rack of kitchen knives resting on a counter. These temptations swirled through her brain and no part of her could explain why they existed. None of it made sense.

Her fingers circled around the top of a wooden chair. It made a sudden screech as she pulled it across the floor. Piper's mind buzzed with questions as she took a seat, most prominently: had she been in that room before?

"Here you go." Minho manifested, breaking Piper's train of thought. He glided over to her with a plate in hand. "One ham and cheese. Shucking perfection." Minho muttered,

Piper forced the thoughts out of her head and took the sandwich gratefully.

"Thanks." She managed before pushing it into her mouth.

Minho plopped down across from the girl. She could sense his eyes on her as she shoved the food down her throat, but hunger forced her to think nothing of it. He had a few screws loose, she was sure of that. It was almost impossible for her to read his thought and expressions… but that that moment, she didn't care.

Finally, as her stomach began to feel normal again, she swallowed a bite and turned to the boy, "So what's your deal? Don't you like hate me or something?" she asked.

"What?" Minho demanded defensively.

"Sorry, I hope that's not to forward or whatever. I'm just getting weird vibes from you." She pushed a lock of hair behind her ear before sinking her teeth into another glorious mouthful of cheesy/hammy goodness. "The whole storming out of the room thing early, the hand holding, the scowl. It's all very confusing."

"No. Nothing like that." He stared down at his hands.

"Then what? Do I creep you out? Do you love me? What is it?"

Minho looked up at her. "You really don't remember anything?"

She shook her head, lowering the sandwich. Her eyes narrowed. Since she arrived she felt like she'd been a part of some sick game and no one was telling her the rules and she was getting really tired of it. "What's going on?"

Minho sighed, "Earlier today there was a meeting. We all decided that we weren't going to tell you anything but… " He paused for so long. His heart was pounding in his ears and his hands shook, but he needed to tell her. It was like his brain had tunnel vision; the only thing he could focus on was telling her the truth. "…but you woke up Green." His eyes suddenly burst with life. He leaned forwards and grabbed her hand. She flinched at his movements, it took everything she had to not pull away. "You _told me_ I had to remind you. You said you could save us! I mean shuck, who am I to not listen to someone when they think they might know a way to get us out of here!"

Piper swallowed the food in her mouth and placed the sandwich on the table. She spoke slowly as her eyes grew with recognition; "I get it now."

"You do?"

"Yah." She chuckled, "You're crazy. I mean, I didn't see it before but now I do. The hand holding, the mood swings…you're psychotic, aren't you?"

Minho let out a frustrated groaned and flopped back in his seat, "Ugh. That was too much too fast wasn't it?"

Piper shrugged, "Whatever you say, Crazy."

"I'm not crazy. I just need you to shucking listen to me. You've been here before. This isn't the first time we met."

"Yep. Insane." She said, taking another bite of her sandwich.

"Would you cut that out? I'm not jacked, ok? Listen. We know each other. I can prove it. Your left wrist has a tattoo that says 'Green' in cursive. That's why we all call you Green."

Piper stared at him.

"Check. If you don't believe me then check."

Hesitantly, Piper turned her hand so that she could see her wrist. Sure enough in black letters there was one word: Green.

She shook her head, "So what, you saw my wrist. The tattoo wasn't exactly hidden." She munched on the last piece of bread.

Minho groaned again. He look at her for a second, thinking, then lit up. "Check your right ribcage. You've got a scar there."

"You undressed me?" Piper cried, her hands flew over her chest as if Minho could see through her shirt.

"What? No! No I was there when you got it!"

"You perv!" She stood up quicky and pushed her chair out.

"Wait! Wait. I give me one last chance to prove to you that we've met."

Piper crossed her arms. Every part of her body told her to leave that guy for good. But the small portion of her mind that was buzzing with strange feelings forced her to stay.

"Fine. One more chance."

Minho grinned. "Come 'ere." He grabbed her wrist tightly and yanked her towards the counter. "Stay there." He ordered.

She watch with intense curiosity as Minho grabbed a cold bowl of what appeared to be old chilly or some chunky soup. He jogged over to the wall at least 15 feet across from her and stuck his fingers into the bowl. He carefully drew an "X" along the wooden wall in redish brown liquid.

"Ok you're drawing on the wall. I mean, I don't have much memory or anything but… but this seems like something a crazy person would do?" Piper asked, crossing her arm.

"Just trust me." He dropped the bowl and turned to her. "Pick up one of those knives." He pointed to the counter behind her. "I want you to throw the knife at this X. I've see you do it before. You have the best aim of anyone I've ever seen and to prove it, I'm going to stand right here." Minho backed against the wall. The center 'X' was just a few inches above his shoulder and barely one inch from his ear.

Piper's mouth dropped open. "You… you're mental. Absolutely insane."

"You can do it. I've _seen_ you do it. Besides, what's the worst that's going to happen? If you hit me you've rid the world of one more crazy person." Minho shrugged with a sly grin.

"Yah, and then I get attacked by all of your friends who think I'm a murderer."

"Green. Please."

Her heart lurched at those words. Despite her every instinct telling her no, Piper turned and carefully selected a knife from the rack. The circular handle morphed around her light grip. The blade was just another part of her arm. Nothing had ever felt so familiar to her.

She turned to Minho who nodded at her, giving full consent.

"I'm going to kill you." She warned him in a shaky voice.

"No you won't. I promise."

Piper took a deep breath drew back her hand. When the blade reach her ear she stop, pressing it softly against her skin, it sent chills down her spine. Her eyes narrowed around the center of the X. And then she released. The knife flew through the air with a perfect spiral. With a loud _Thunk!_ it sunk right into the middle.

Her eyes doubled in size. "H-how did… how can I do that?" She gasped.

Minho shrugged with a satisfied smile, "I told ya shank. Do it again."

She did. Another knife landed a hair off of the center. Then a third.

"Ok now that's enough, I don't want you to kill me." Minho admitted, pulling the knives from the wall.

"Minho… how did you know this?"

He walked over to her quickly. His eyes twinkled with relief as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Like I said, we met. A week ago you were here and… and then you left. But I think that you're our key out."

"Out of what?"

The twinkle in his eye diminished, "Oh yah. You don't know. Sit down. Let me explain everything."

""""""""""""""""""

"So it's been 2 years and still nothing?" Green asked.

Minho shook his head. "Not even a hint."

At that point it must've been 1 o'clock in the morning. The two of them had been talking for hours about everything that had happened in the Glade.

Sure, Minho felt an overwhelming guilt for telling Green about everything. He'd decided to leave out the parts about the others attempting to kill her. In fact, he hadn't told Green much about anything from her time in the Glade and she hadn't really asked. She was more interested in their escape plans.

"So you think I know how to get out of here?" She asked.

Minho nodded, "That's what you told me."

"Yah, that's what Green told you."

She'd begun referring to herself as Piper and her past self as Green. It was confusing for Minho but he decided not to push it. He wasn't going to stop calling her Green.

"But how can I get us out of here if I can't remember any more than you guys?"

Minho shrugged, "I don't have a shuck clue. Dude, I'm just going off of what _you_ told _me."_

" _I_ didn't tell you anything." She said with an eye roll.

"Listen, let's just figure this out tomorrow. I've got to train Thomas tomorrow."

"He's the one who just became a Runner, right?" She asked.

"Yah. You can trust him." Minho said, "But Green, you can't tell anyone what we talked about tonight. No one. Not Thomas. Not Newt. Especially not Gally or Alby."

"Guy with the eye brows and bossy leader, right?" She asked.

Minho nodded proudly.

"I won't say a word. Not to anyone."

"Ok, good." Minho smiled. "Why don't you go get some sleep, alright?"

"God, 24 hours of sleep and I'm still exhausted." Green laughed.

"I have a feeling that you're not going to be getting a lot of sleep these next few weeks." Minho admitted.

"Oh, I'm sure I'll find a way." She stood up and pushed in her chair. "I guess I go back to the Medic's room?" She asked.

Minho nodded, "Goodnight Green."

"Are you ever going to stop calling me that?" She asked.

He shook his head.

"Fine. Goodnight Minho." Green said with a soft smile and a playful eye roll, "See you tomorrow."

Minho sucked in a deep breath as she slipped out of the room. His heart beat regularly once again. Even though he'd betrayed his friends he felt… right.


End file.
